The dead of summer is a real thing, folks. The New York Islanders’ season begins in 82 days, and mostly everything’s set in stone. Some news trickles in here and there.
The looming story right now is that of Maxim Tsyplakov and Matthew Schaefer, both of whom remain unsigned. Tsyplakov, 26, will be settled within two weeks, as arbitrations begin to be heard starting tomorrow through August 4.
Schaefer will get done, it’s certainly just a matter of bonuses and other contractual minutiae. Likely, Schaefer is pushing for $3.5 million bonuses for a first-overall pick, like Macklin Celebrini and Connor Bedard received. Similarly, Maxim Shabanov received those “A” bonuses. There’s more to it than that, but it’s something that will get done in due time.
As for Tsyplakov, something will get done. As I’m finalizing this story, the Islanders announced that Tsyplakov welcomed a newborn child. Needless to say, a contract and arbitration would not be a priority at all for Tsyplakov. Congratulations to Tsyplakov and his family.
Based on Darche stating on July 1 that all of his RFAs were close to signing, it’s very possible Tsyplakov asked for a pause on negotiations with the looming birth of his child. That would not be overly surprising, either.
Tsyplakov and Arbitration:
It’s unclear when a date will be announced for Tsyplakov, but an announcement is expected by tomorrow. To be clear, just because arbitration hearings could begin tomorrow, does not mean they will happen. Likely, dates will be announced to set an official date for the arbitration hearing by tomorrow, setting a hard deadline for negotiations.
Tsyplakov scored 10 goals and 35 points in 77 games, with lengthy dry spells hurting his ultimate points total.
Arbitration can get ugly, and it’s somewhat surprising the Islanders haven’t found middle ground with the forward yet. **NOTE: The Islanders just announced that Tsyplakov welcomed a child. A deal may be mostly worked out, but he’s been focused on his family, which he should be.**
If a contract is not settled before arbitration, it becomes a guaranteed one-year deal for Tsyplakov, walking him to unrestricted free agency next July.
I wonder if term remains a big sticking point. Tsyplakov could want a three or four-year deal, something Islanders’ GM Mathieu Darche wouldn’t give. Darche likely enjoys the flexibility a one or two-year deal would bring, especially considering the influx of prospects and other options that may emerge within the forward group.
However, Tsyplakov showed an ability to fit in extremely well anywhere in the forward group. He contributed offense and solid defense from the second, third, and fourth lines. Not only that, he proved to be a decent net-front option on the power play.
Darche still would be hesitant to give out major term based on one year. Looking ahead, Cole Eiserman could be in the NHL by April. That adds another forward into what’s already a packed house. Tsyplakov’s versatility increases his value, and it gives him a clear edge over a plethora of options internally.