As the dust continues to settle on the New Jersey Devils' latest move, questions have emerged regarding the team’s newest acquisition, Maxim Tsyplakov.
As my colleague Jonathan Bailey pointed out, Tsyplakov was a standout in the KHL. At one point, Tsyplakov scored 31 goals in 65 games for Spartak Moskva. With his contract up and still 25 years old, the Islanders were among the teams courting Tsyplakov to sign in North America.
The Isles signed Tsyplakov to a one-year, $950K deal. In his rookie season, Tsyplakov did pretty well. He scored 10 goals and 35 points in 77 games. It wasn’t quite what the Islanders had expected from Tsyplakov, but good enough to earn him a two-year deal worth $4.5 million.
The expectation was that Tsyplakov could build on his success from last season. But his shortcomings became magnified. One of the biggest knocks on Tsyplakov was his slow skating speed. He wasn’t considered a fast skater by NHL standards. Still, his grit and strong play along the boards made him a serviceable option.
Tsyplakov was considered a strong netfront presence, potentially carving a role on the power play. However, that presence didn’t translate at all, especially this season. His lack of skating, diminishing physical play to retrieve pucks, and non-existent presence in front of the net led to his offensive output completely zapping.
At the time of this trade, the newest Devils player had two points in 27 games. While there’s always the chance that a change of scenery could benefit Tsyplakov, there’s really no room for him in the Devils’ lineup.
Tsyplakov might have been a top-six winger at one point. But it’s tough to see him pushing out Dawson Mercer, Timo Meier, or Jesper Bratt. Perhaps the Devils may want to try Tsyplakov in place of Evgenii Dadonov. But that might require bumping Meier up to the top line, with Dadonov sliding down to the third line.
It’s likelier that Tsyplakov gets a look on the fourth line. If he can translate any of his skills into a solid stretch of games, Tsyplakov might find a place for himself after all.
Otherwise, the Devils may have no other choice but to bite the bullet and cut ties with him. The most immediate outcome could be sending Tsyplakov down to the Utica Comets. A stint in the AHL would be useful in helping him rediscover his game.
There’s one caveat with that move, however. The Devils would have to place Tsyplakov on waivers in order to send him down. While it’s unlikely anyone claims him, the move could be beneficial in the long run. A reset in the AHL could be a move aimed at getting Tsyplakov back in the NHL next season.
But if another club claims Tsyplakov, really, the Devils lose nothing. Another club would do the Devils a solid by taking his cap hit off their hands.