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Some 10 minutes after the Islanders wrapped up their preseason opener Sunday, the area around Maxim Tsyplakov’s stall in the visiting locker room at the Prudential Center looked like a bedroom that needed cleaning.
Gear and equipment on the floor.
Hockey bag open, but everything around it — not in it.
Nearly all of the other Islanders had quickly packed up.
Tsyplakov, an equipment manager jokingly chided, had to get a move on.
But then again, everyone could afford him some grace.
This was his first game in North America, after all.
A winger who’s played his career up until now in the KHL, Tsyplakov came into camp as perhaps the biggest unknown on the roster.
A preseason game is just one data point, and not an especially strong one, but the picture is a little clearer after the Russian skated 12:21 in the Isles’ 4-2 victory over the Devils.
“Little bit harder first shift. First and second shift, I think, I didn’t like because the puck is loose,” Tsyplakov said. “After is much better. [I] understand how to play, I’m good.”
The night had indeed threatened to turn sour on Tsyplakov’s first shift — where he turned the puck over on the penalty kill leading directly to a Nico Hischier goal.
But he made up for that as the game went on by showing some skill as a power forward, protecting the puck well and dishing a smooth no-look assist on Julien Gauthier’s second-period goal.
“I know my plan,” Tsyplakov said of the assist, which came via a three-on-one rush. “I need to look like shoot and the D believed me. I can pass.”
The way-too-early book on Tsyplakov — based on training camp practices as well as Sunday night — is that he’ll add some net-front presence and physicality to the lineup. But exactly how much and exactly where in the lineup it makes sense to slot him is still up in the air.
During camp, however, his teammates have been impressed with how Tsyplakov operates down low.
“He’s got a big body, it’s pretty hard to move him,” Alexander Romanov said earlier this week. “He’s got speed and power.”
“Really strong,” Noah Dobson said. “He’s like an ox out there. He’s thick, he’s big, he knows how to protect his body well. He’s gonna be tough to handle. Similar load to [Anders Lee] — down low, in front of the net, he’s a big load. Hard to handle.”
“I spend the summers here, but [he] was kind of advertised,” Kyle Palmieri said. “You knew he was gonna be a big, strong player the way he plays the game. I really enjoy watching him play. Obviously, first couple days of camp we haven’t done a ton of line rushes and things like that. I think for him, I’ve watched his game over the last couple weeks and there’s a lot to like about it.”
Tsyplakov also saw both power play and penalty kill minutes Sunday, though the PK obviously did not go as planned.
Roy blamed himself for that, since Tsyplakov hadn’t gotten four-on-five reps in camp.
All in all, call it an encouraging — if imperfect — debut.
That is just fine for the Islanders, who are hoping they’ve added an effective, goal-scoring, middle-six winger in Tsyplakov at just $950,000 on a one-year deal for this season before becoming a restricted free agent.
Don’t be fooled by the contract length, either.
Tsyplakov worked in Moscow this summer with an English teacher to hone his skill with the language.
This is where he wants to be.
“Gives me a big chance,” he said during rookie camp. “I want to play hockey in big leagues. And I want [to be] working with Patrick.”
