NHL Free Agency: Islanders Sign RFA Maxim Tsyplakov to Multi-Year Deal

Restricted free agent Maxim Tsyplakov was set for arbitration next week with the New York Islanders, but the team has avoided that, signing the second-year Russian winger to a two-year, $4.5 million deal ($2.25M AAV).

Maxim Tsyplakov has reportedly signed a two-year contract with the @NYIslanders! #NHLFreeAgency pic.twitter.com/8HsCgssytf
— NHL Network (@NHLNetwork) July 25, 2025

It was a big coup last summer when the Islanders won the bidding to lure Tsyplakov to the NHL, and he signed a one-year deal worth $950,000 plus another $1 million in a signing bonus. Per PuckPedia, NYI now have about $1.6 million in cap space.

It was a solid rookie season on the Island for the 6'3", 210 pound forward, as he recorded 10 goals and 35 points in a depth role in the bottom six, while handing out a robust 140 hits. He averaged 14:58 of ice time per game, and had a decent plus/minus rating of +4. His 25 assists were fifth among NHL rookies.

“I know I can score more and be better next season,” Tsyplakov said after the season.

He had spent the previous seven years in the KHL with Moscow Spartak. In his last year there, he recorded 31 goals in 65 games.

He'll have yet another Russian on board this season, as the Islanders signed 24-year-old talented forward Maxim Shabanov earlier this summer out of the KHL. They join Ilya Sorokin, Semyon Varlamov and Alexander Romanov for a big Russian presence in the Islanders locker room.