Islanders' Maxim Tsyplakov has arbitration date set
Maxim Tsyplakov speaks with reporters during Islanders break-up day at the Northwell Ice Center in East Meadow on April 19. Credit: Jeff Bachner
Maxim Tsyplakov’s arbitration hearing, if it actually gets to that, will be this coming Tuesday.
Of course, there’s still plenty of time for the Islanders and the Russian forward to come to terms on a new agreement after the 26-year-old compiled 10 goals and 25 assists in 77 games as an NHL rookie.
The NHL Players’ Association released the dates for the arbitration hearings on Tuesday.
Tsyplakov was one of 11 restricted free agents who filed for player-elected arbitration in advance of the July 7 deadline, rejecting his $897,750 qualifying offer. He came to the Islanders on a one-year, $950,000 deal after parts of seven seasons in the Russian KHL.
Typically, teams and players reach an agreement before the scheduled arbitration hearing, often within 24 hours of it.
Arbitrators can award either a one- or two-year deal and the former would allow Tsyplakov to be an unrestricted free agent next offseason. Technically, he could become a UFA this offseason if an arbitrator awarded him a contract of $4.85 million or more and the Islanders walked away from the deal. That scenario is extremely unlikely.
Rather, the sides will likely settle for a new pact worth around $2.5 million annually.
The Islanders have $3.88 million in salary cap space, per PuckPedia.com. Tsyplakov is the last bit of offseason business general manager Mathieu Darche needs to complete.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
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