The New York Islanders had a successful 2024 NHL Draft that saw the team revive its depleting prospect pool. With most of the attention on the early selections of Cole Eiserman , Jesse Pulkkinen , and Kamil Bednarik , general manager Lou Lamoriello’s quotes to the media have gone under the radar. Maxim Tsyplakov’s NHL Outlook The Islanders’ signing of Maxim Tsyplakov was a pleasant surprise to begin the offseason.
The addition showed organizational change , signifying a shift in the bottom six towards younger players with more offensive spark. Tsyplakov had 31 goals and 47 points in 65 games this season with Moscow Spartak in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He posted career highs in goals, assists, and points, and finished fifth place in the KHL scoring race.
The 6-foot-3 left wing was speculated to join the bottom six as a penalty-killing power forward. Lamoriello rarely reveals his plans, but by telling the media he “did not sign [Tsyplakov] for Bridgeport,” he has all but confirmed his spot on the NHL roster. He goes on by saying Tsyplakov is “an NHL-type of player.
” This makes perfect sense for the Islanders as Tsyplakov can play a gritty, physical game, maintaining a focus in the defensive aspects while still providing occasional offense. Clutterbuck and Martin Uncertainty If Tsyplakov does join the bottom six full-time, it likely means the end of Mat Martin and/or Cal Clutterbuck’s tenures on Long Island. This was brought to Lamoriello’s attention.
