New York Islanders forward Maxim Tsyplakov sat down for an interview with The Slippery Ice program, and he touched on a lot.
ЦЫПЛАКОВ | Из-за Овечкина остановили игру, Разборки со Спартаком, Штрафы в НХЛ | ЛЕДИнтервью с Максимом Цыплаковым: переход в НХЛ, адаптация в «Айлендерс», жизнь в США. Максим делится историей отказа от контракта со «Спартаком», выбором «Айл...With the help of Hockey News Hub, here's some of the tranlsation from the interview:
Why did Tsyplakov choose the Islanders?
“I had offers from Boston, Vegas, and Florida, but with the Islanders I saw the best chance to actually play — not just 5–7 minutes a game."
“They told me they saw me with Palmieri and Nelson. At first I didn't believe it, but then I was really playing on that line."
Tsyplakov also made a note that he wasn't chasing a dream to come to the NHL and would have stayed in Russia had Spartak offered him a fair team.
What was his first NHL season like?
“I scored in my very first game — over 21 minutes of ice time. I was exhausted."
"The NHL game is different. It's more direct - everything forward, no risky passes. At first it felt robotic compared to Russia."
“I proved to myself I can play at this level.”
Tsyplakov wished he had scored more than 10 goals, but said that he saw a lot of growth in his game and is hopeful that he can make more of an impact on the scoresheet in year two.
Lamoriello & Fines
"Lou Lamoriello is strict - clean shave, dress code, everything. But I actually like that kind of discipline."
“I got fined around $15,000 after my suspension — that money goes into a league fund. It stings.”
“Fines for small things in the locker room are $500. You learn quickly.”
Tsyplakov was fined and suspended for his hit against Philadelphia Flyers forward Ryan Peopling back on Jan. 16.
“I still don't fully understand why I was suspended. To me, it was a clean hit.”
“The team supported me. Lou said, 'Better not to fight this one, so they don't target you later.'”
“My mistake was not fighting right away — then the guys kept coming after me.”
"In Philly, they kept cross-checking and chirping all game. Finally I dropped the gloves with Lawton. We wrestled more than punched, but at least it was done."
“Matt Martin gave me advice - who you can fight, who you shouldn't. That helped."
On his teammates:
“I asked if I could play music in the room. They said no. I put it on anyway - same as I did in Spartak.”
“Sorokin sold me out — he told everyone I blasted my playlist on day two.” (laughs)
“Palmieri, Bailey, Cizikas, Clutterbuck — the older guys all help. Having Russian guys like Sorokin, Romanov, and Varlamov also made it easier.”
Adapting to a new way of life:
“My English isn't perfect, but I studied with a tutor and forced myself to talk to foreign teammates. It gets easier.”
My wife had it harder - she didn't know English at first. Luckily, we found Russian-speaking neighbors with kids the same age."
“We rented a place, didn't buy. With a rookie contract, you don't know if you'll stay.”
"American food is so greasy. At first, it was uncomfortable. In Moscow, you get small portions - in New York, they bring a bucket of salad."
“I miss buckwheat and dumplings — we'd drive to Brighton Beach for Russian groceries."
On Patrick Roy:
"Patrick Roy can be fiery. He once screamed at me for a mistake in the last 30 seconds of a period. He said, 'In the last five minutes, no risks — just dump it in.' I learned quickly.”
"The hardest thing was the long preseason — I felt overtrained before camp even started. Then came Roy's brutal conditioning drills. My legs were dead."
“Compared to Jamnov, Roy is more emotional and explosive.”
"Kovalchuk worked with me a lot in Spartak. He taught me how to create space near the boards and how to change tempo - slow down, then burst past a defender. That helped me in the NHL."
Agency Issues:
“My first agent disappeared after I signed. Didn't help me with housing or anything. Luckily a Russian-speaking friend of Romanov's helped with everything.”
“I later changed agents. Now I have people who actually care.”
Tsyplakov is now represented by Ryan Barnes of Quartex.
On Facing Ovechkin:
“When Ovechkin scored, the game basically stopped. We just stood there, legs burning, watching. It was special.”
“After the game I shook his hand and told him, 'You're a machine.' It was my first time meeting him.”
Stay updated with the most interesting Islanders stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.