The big trade, for this week that is, went down on Tuesday right before the New Jersey Devils hosted the Winnipeg Jets. Ondrej Palat and draft picks were traded to the New York Islanders, and Maxim Tsyplakov went to the Devils. So, anytime someone says that teams can’t trade within the division, to rivals nonetheless, show them this deal (and the Carson Soucy one).
There’s a good chance this deal flops for the Devils. They get out of the Palat contract, a deal that set them back, but it came with a cost (two mid-to-late-round draft picks to be exact). That said, Tsyplakov finding a rhythm with the Devils and becoming a great winger will go a long way for a team looking to take a big step.
Tsyplakov Can Give Devils That Edge
If you ask a casual hockey fan what the Devils need, those who aren’t crunching the numbers or diving into the film, it’s the ability to play physical hockey and score outside of the top six. Tsyplakov is a bigger-bodied forward with a scoring touch. It’s how he scored 10 goals in his first season in the NHL.
The question the Devils have is where they play him in their lineup. They can play him on the third line, but without a reliable center, Tsyplakov won’t get those open looks. Sheldon Keefe can move him to the left wing to play in the top six. Then the question is whether he’s good enough to bump Evgenii Dadonov down in the lineup.
This decision will determine how successful the trade turns out to be. If Tsyplakov fits right in, the Devils have a forward unit built for a playoff run, and he’s a low-risk add who can be a consistent scorer.
Can Maxim Tsyplakov Fit In?
The Islanders were an ideal spot for Tsyplakov, and it didn’t work out. They have a Russian pipeline to ease the transition to North America, a pipeline that also helped them sign Maxim Shabonov this summer.
Yet, things never materialized for Tsyplakov on the Islanders. It’s why fans are hesitant about whether it will work with the Devils, a team that doesn’t have those players to help him out. The Devils, in that regard, are running a risk as he might never fit in, especially if he’s buried in a third-line role.
At a Minimum, the Devils Are Moving on from Palat
Devils fans had a minor celebration when they found out Palat was traded. It’s a deal that gets them out of a bad contract, and it makes anyone wonder what could have been. He was signed in the 2022 offseason to put them over the top, and instead, he flopped.
The Devils get out of the contract, which is a plus. Better yet, they now have the cap space to make some moves. Suddenly, the Devils are back in business to do some exciting things and they should do just that.