Maxim Tsyplakov had record setting NY Islanders debut on Thursday night

At 26 years and 20 days, Maxim Tysplakov is the oldest rookie on an opening night roster across the National Hockey League. We know he isn't an ordinary rookie, though he will be eligible for the Calder Trophy this season, and wasn't treated as such in his debut.

According to MSG Networks statistician Eric Hornick in The Skinny, Tsyplakov played 20:46, the most by an Islander in his first NHL game in the Real-Time Era. If that wasn't impressive enough, only seven rookie forwards league-wide have played more in their debut contest.

The TOI (Time On Ice), while playing on the second line with Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri, speaks to the early trust head coach Patrick Roy has in the Russian winger. While he didn't play a perfect game, Tysplakov showed why he jumped from a player battling for a roster spot to be entrusted to be a top-six scorer. With the Islanders and Utah Hockey Club tied late in the third period, Palmieri, Nelson, and Tyspkakov came in on an add-man rush. Nelson hit Tysplakov as the trailer and he snapped a shot past Connor Ingram from the slight for a 4-3 lead.

In doing so, he became the 22nd Islander to score in his first NHL game and the first to do it since Aatu Raty did so whyile wearing the retro fisherman jersey on Dec. 23, 2022. "He was great, made some really good wall plays and had a lot of poise with the puck," Ryan Pulock said of Tsyplakov. "Obviously, a great shot there on that goal. I think we're going see him continue to grow."

Oh, and he also led the team with six hits. It was quite the debut and creates more excitement to find out what his ceiling may be for the rest of this season and beyond.