He is a player the Islanders are going to need to step up over this unspecified-as-yet period without two of their stalwart offensive producers and here he came on Friday night, doing just that.
Max Tsyplakov’s Welcome to the NHL just got a lot more weight to it.
The 26-year-old Russian has impressed since training camp with his pro-ready game and jovial nature, his adjustment to the NHL generally looking smooth over the season’s first 10 games.
With Mat Barzal and Anthony Duclair in the lineup, though, Tsyplakov could afford the odd night of looking like someone still learning.
His production was maybe a little more luxury than necessity, at least in theory if rarely in practice.
Not anymore.
The Islanders were already without Duclair through at least Nov. 14 after he suffered a lower-body injury. Now they are without Barzal for the next 4-6 weeks after he was placed on LTIR Saturday with an upper-body injury, having missed Friday night’s game against the Sabres.
Tsyplakov, however, went out against the Sabres and played his finest game yet as an NHLer, scoring a beauty, smoothly assisting Kyle Palmieri for a power-play goal and throwing eight hits over 15:01.
Both points came in a second period where the Islanders could easily have come undone after losing Adam Pelech and Mike Reilly, the latter after appearing to hit his head and taking a few minutes to get up on a scary hit from Jordan Greenway.
Tsyplakov was poised, the talent that made him a 30-goal scorer in the KHL evident.
“He had a great game again,” coach Patrick Roy said. “The more he’s playing, more he’s solid. I feel like I love his poise with the puck. I love the move he made on that goal. It was a great move by him. I thought that line played a solid game offensively and defensively.”
Thanks in large part to playing on a line that has been the Islanders’ best this season, Tsyplakov’s on-ice numbers have been terrific — his 61.46 expected goals percentage at five-on-five is the best amongst Islanders who have been in the lineup every night.
The chemistry with Nelson and Palmieri has come quickly, with Nelson having repeatedly expressed how impressed he is with Tsyplakov’s ability to communicate despite still learning English.
There was also a beauty of a move Tsyplakov made in cutting to the net around Connor Clifton, who was left in the dust on Tsyplakov’s second-period goal that broke a 1-1 tie.
“When you’re feeling confident, a heck of a goal, even better assist,” Bo Horvat said. “He’s a great hockey player. So he keeps getting better and better. We’re definitely lucky to have him. He’s gonna keep getting better.”