Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello swipes KHL star from rival Maple Leafs
Highly coveted free agent and rising KHL star Maxim Tsyplakov has officially signed an NHL contract but, unfortunately, it's not with the Toronto Maple Leafs.
The Maple Leafs were reportedly one of the finalists for Tsyplakov's services, having expressed an interest in the breakout star and being in the mix right up until this week. However, when the dust settled, it was ex-Leafs GM Lou Lamoriello and his New York Islanders who landed the 25-year-old.
Tsyplakov and the Islanders came to terms today on a one-year entry-level contract worth $950K, which means that he'll be eligible to negotiate a new deal with the Isles next summer.
Playing his entire pro career with Moscow Spartak, Tsyplakov exploded onto the scene this season, registering 31 goals and 16 assists for a total of 47 points in 65 games, which is tremendous production for a young player in the KHL.
For the Leafs, it just means that they'll have to turn their attention elsewhere this summer. There's always a risk associated with signing KHLers and transitioning them to the North American game, so perhaps this will end up being a blessing in disguise for the Leafs. Of course, Tsyplakov is supremely talented, so the chances of this blowing up in the Isles' faces seems relatively low.
| POLL | ||
MAI 16 | 312 ANSWERS Islanders GM Lou Lamoriello swipes KHL star from rival Maple Leafs Are you upset that the Leafs couldn't close on Tsyplakov? | ||
| Yes | 104 | 33.3 % |
| No | 104 | 33.3 % |
| Who? | 104 | 33.3 % |
| List of polls | ||
