Mathew Barzal thinks NY Islanders KHL signing Maxim Tsyplakov is a stud

The New York Islanders signed Maxim Tsyplakov to be a contributor this season. The early signs are that he has the potential to be much more than that.

Translating KHL success to the NHL has historically been a mixed bag. Some forwards have seen their offensive numbers dip dramatically in North America against bigger and faster players while facing elite goaltending most nights. Tysplakov could be an exception.

He first stood out at rookie camp, which was expected as the 26-year-old skated against prospects and younger AHL players. However, his impressive play was a positive sign, and it continued during the main roster's training camp. Tsyplakov has since earned a spot on the team's second line with veteran scorers Brock Nelson and Kyle Palmieri and significant power play time.

He's turned the coaching staff into early believers with his willingness to work and learn, and his new teammates have also noticed. “You’ve seen some of the Russian players come over and some pan out, some don’t, said Mathew Barzal after Friday night's preseason win. "He's come in and within literally 30 seconds of watching him I could tell he was going to be good. And within a period of our first intrasquad game I think we knew pretty quick he was going to be a stud. He’s a great player."

That's big praise coming from one of the faces of the franchise. The Islanders roster has been consistently criticized for its lack of turnover in recent years. Part of that reason has been due to existing contracts for core players, but also a lack of young offensive talent ready to make an impact at the NHL level. The signing of Tsyplakov potentially addresses both of those critiques.

The addition of Anthony Duclair has the Islanders' top line poised to be more dangerous than it's been in recent memory. If Tsyplakov can become a 20+ goal scorer on the second line and contribute a net-front presence on the powerplay, the Islanders have a chance of being better than average in goal scoring this season and for the foreseeable future.