EAST MEADOW, NY — A 31-goal season for Spartak Moscow in Russia’s top league, the KHL, meant that winger Maxim Tsyplakov was going to have his fair share of suitors as he prepared to make the jump to North America and to the NHL.
His choice, however, was going to be predicated on one thing and one thing only.
“I don’t look at money,” the 25-year-old said on Thursday. “I look for my opportunity, when I can play — power play, PK.”
So when New York Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello and head coach Patrick Roy all but guaranteed a top-six role, the decision was an easy one.
“It’s a good opportunity,” Tsyplakov said following his first day of work at Islanders rookie camp. “It’s a big chance. I want to play hockey in the big leagues and I want to work with Patrick.”
New York’s Russian influence also helped. Not only have goaltenders Ilya Sorokin and Semyon Varlamov, along with defenseman Alexander Romanov, taken Tsyplakov under his wing after they were opponents in the KHL, but the newest Islander met with Romanov while in Moscow after signing his NHL deal.
Tsyplakov also was linemates with former Islanders forward Shane Prince, who helped with his English and also helped sell the Islanders to him.
“We talked after the KHL season and I met with him,” Tsyplakov said. “He talked about how this was a great city, a great system, and a great opportunity [with the Islanders].”
The 6-foot-3 forward is projected to work on the Islanders’ second line this season alongside Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri — a concept that will come more to fruition when training camp starts next week.
Tsyplakov teased a close-range game, saying that he does most of his damage driving to the net or as a net-front presence on the power play. This could complement Nelson’s more finesse game, as he led the Islanders in scoring in each of the last three seasons.
There will be an obvious adjustment needed to the increased speed and physicality of the game in North America, but Tsyplakov has had plenty of time to begin those preparations.
“I’ve had a long time to practice because we were done with the [KHL] playoffs in the last day of March,” he said. “I worked hard and I am tired of practice. I want to play.”
