NY Islanders face difficult decision after Max Shabanov's frustrating rookie season

When Maxim Shabanov chose the New York Islanders last summer, it wasn't because they were the biggest market or the most successful team.

It was because they sold him on opportunity.

The diminutive Russian forward had plenty of options after back-to-back KHL seasons of 25 and 23 goals. The New York Rangers were interested. The Philadelphia Flyers were interested. The Utah Mammoth were interested. But the belief around the league was that Shabanov chose the Islanders because they offered him the clearest path to playing meaningful offensive minutes in the NHL.

Less than a year later, both sides suddenly have a decision to make.

Beat reporter Stefen Rosner posted that Shabanov's camp met with the Islanders to discuss his usage and lack of opportunity during his rookie campaign. And it's hard to blame them. After scoring in his NHL debut on opening night in Pittsburgh, Shabanov showed flashes of exactly why the Islanders pursued him so aggressively. His skating, hands, and creativity with the puck definitely stood out and came as advertised, the problem was that opportunities were never consistent.

Under head coach Patrick Roy, Shabanov frequently found himself in and out of the lineup, serving as a healthy scratch multiple times as the Islanders fought to stay in the playoff race. He ultimately finished with five goals and 13 assists in 44 games, numbers that don't fully capture the skill level he displayed when he was actually on the ice.

Part of the challenge, according to those around the team, was stylistic. Roy preferred a more direct, north-south game, while Shabanov's instincts have always leaned toward the east-west creativity that made him successful in the KHL. But now, Patrick Roy is gone.

Like everyone else, Shabanov only got a brief introduction to Pete DeBoer before the season ended. But that small sample may end up determining his future with the organization. If DeBoer believes he can deploy Shabanov's skill set effectively, the Islanders likely extend a qualifying offer and try again.

Because if they don't, it's hard to see how this relationship works for another year.

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