On Saturday, New York Islanders restricted free agent forward Maxim Tsyplakov filed for salary cap arbitration.
He declined his $897,750 qualifying offer, and nobody should be shocked by that.
This in no way, shape or form does this mean Tsyplakov wants out.
While arbitration hearings will take place from late July 20 through August 4, Tsyplakov is eligible to sign a contract with Long Island -- they call it settling -- before his actual hearing takes place.
Tsyplakov averaged 0.45 points per game in his first NHL season, and the expectation, on both sides, is that he'll improve in year two.
"For his first year in North America, we kinda forget sometimes when they come, it's not only the first time playing on North American style of hockey, it's also that it's a different culture, like it's going to a new culture that can be challenging for a person," Darche shared in his 1-on-1 interview for The Elmonters. "He did, actually, a great job in his first year.
“He's adjusted really well, and I expect him also to progress and be even better the second time around. Now he is comfortable with New York, with Long Island, and comfortable with NHL hockey. So yeah, I expect some progression from him.”
Tsyplakov shared his thoughts on his first NHL season at locker room cleanout day.
"I expected more from myself, score more goals," the forward said. "I just did not complete my chances when I got them. Just, sometimes, no lucky shot. In the KHL, I have a lot of luck. Here, I know I can score more and be better next season.
"I need to cut the turnovers. I don't want to turn [puck] over."
The question is how much is a player who recorded 35 points (10 goals, 25 assists) in 77 NHL games in 2024-25 asking for?
During the season, his Russian agent, Alex Chernykh, stated in an interview that the Islanders were prepared to offer him $3 million per year on his next deal.
But, Tsyplakov made it clear in a following interview that he hadn't had talks yet with the Islanders about an extension.
However, $3 million annually may have been what Tsyplakov's camp ultimately asked for.
If that is Tsyplakov's request, it wouldn't be a shock to see his extension, whether it be a one-year deal via arbitration or a multi-year deal before his hearing, with an annual salary somewhere between $2 and $3 million.
A reminder that arbitrators can only award a one-year deal, but they cannot interfere with a player's unrestricted free agent years. So, Tsyplakov, 26, is only eligible for a one-year deal in arbitration since he'll be a UFA next summer.
The positive is that Tsyplakov did enjoy his first season on Long Island.
"I want to stay here," Tsyplakov said. "Everything was good and everything I like. Good city, good team, good people. Good fun."
The belief isn't that Tsyplakov is going to be asking for the moon.
It is, however, hard to guage comparables when it comes to production and contracts.
For example, Tsyplakov is a stronger player than Connor Brown, who signed a four-year deal with the New Jersey Devils worth $3 million per year.
The question is, do the Islanders want to give Tsyplakav a one-year prove-it deal to see if he can be more of a 20/20 or 25/25 player at the NHL level before committing to a long-term deal?
While that would make a lot of sense, if given a one-year deal, Tsyplakov will be a free agent in the summer of 2026, and he could price himself out depending on his performance and which youngsters are ready to make the jump.
Looking at the projected roster and lineup, Tsyplakov will likely have a bottom-six role at the start of the season, and perhaps there will be a better opportunity elsewhere to play significant minutes.
Islanders Depth Chart; Projected 23-Man RosterThe New York Islanders have made a few significant moves to their roster this offseason.
If Darche and Roy believe Tsyplakov can play an important role now and in the future, there's no reason he can't secure a short-term deal.
As of now, the Islanders have under $5 million in available cap space, according to Cap Wages, which includes Semyon Varlamov and his $2.75 million cap hit on the roster. He's currently on LTIR.
So, regardless of the contract Tsyplakov ultimately signs, the Islanders won't have any issues fitting him under the cap.
We'll see how much time goes by before the two sides agree on a deal. Don't be shocked if a deal happens before his arbitraiton hearing day, with the date being announced at a later date.
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PHOTO: Russell LaBounty-Imagn Images