Grading Maxim Tsyplakov’s $4.5 million contract extension with Islanders

While the Russian forward is not the youngest player in the group of forwards for the Islanders, he is on the younger side. Of the 14 forwards they now have under contract, only four of them are younger than Tsyplakov. Further, he has shown considerable growth in recent years. He had not been a major point producer in his career. He began his career in the MHL, the junior level of Russian hockey, with MHK Spartak. He would continue in the VHL, which is the equivalent of the AHL in their professional system, and then play in the KHL.

From 2015-16 through 2021-22, he has never scored more than nine goals in a season with a single team. Further, his career high was chipping in nine goals and adding eight helpers in 58 games with Spartak Moscow in 2020-21. In 2022-23, he would begin to take off. Playing for Spartak Moscow, he played 63 games, lighting the lamp ten times and amassing 25 total points. The next year, he completely broke out. He scored 31 times while adding 16 assists, good for 47 total points. Further, he added two goals and two assists in the playoffs.

This would result in the Russian forward getting a contract from the Islanders. In his first season in the NHL, he would hone his passing game. Tsyplakov had 25 assists with the Islanders, while also putting in ten goals last season. Meanwhile, his advanced stats showed he was one of the top forwards on the team. He would be seventh on the team among forwards in expected goals factor and sixth in high danger chances created.

Final thoughts and grade on the Maxim Tsyplakov contract

The Islanders got a solid deal for the Russian forward. He is expected to be on one of the bottom two lines this year, and the cost of the contract is commensurate with that. At just $2.25 million per year, he will be the fourth-lowest-paid forward on the team. Using the notion that an efficient contract has a player scoring one point for every $100,000 of salary, this contract would require Tsyplakov to score just 23 points to be an effective contract. Last year, he scored 35. If he maintains the same production, that would be a cost of just under $64,300 per point, which would be a highly efficient contract. The Islanders are getting a player who is growing in his game at the NHL level, while on an inexpensive contract for the next two years.

For Tsyplakov, this is still a solid deal. He took a substantial raise over what he made last year. Further, he avoids arbitration and will have consistency over the next two seasons. With many of the moves the Islanders made this offseason, plus his continued growth, he could also see his playing time increase this upcoming year. This will give him more of an opportunity to show off his skill and potentially get a major payday in just two years. At that point, he will be entering his age-29 season, which will still place him in his prime. While his production could have commanded a slightly larger contract, he still got a great deal here.

New York Islanders Grade: A

Maxim Tsyplakov Grade:  A-