SEATTLE — Max Tsyplakov’s return to the lineup for the Islanders’ 4-3 win over the Canucks on Monday marked a nadir in what’s been a messy sophomore season in the NHL for the Russian winger.
After being on for two goals against in the first period, and plainly looking like he lacked confidence, Tsyplakov played just two shifts in the second and zero in the third.
“It’s on me,” coach Patrick Roy said afterward, falling on his sword to avoid criticizing the player. “He didn’t play a bad game. Just, he hasn’t played a lot and sometimes when that happens, you just want to go with the guys that you think you’ve got the best chance to win [with].
“He’s probably gonna be back in against Seattle. Hopefully I can use him more.”
Keeping Tsyplakov in the lineup against the Kraken on Wednesday, assuming that is the route Roy goes, would be a highly interesting move.
On one hand, it’s obvious that Tsyplakov needs a confidence boost, and that he’s not going to recover his game without some time to work through it.
On the other, it doesn’t help Tsyplakov — let alone the Islanders — if he’s nailed to the bench and the team is effectively down to 11 forwards.
Tsyplakov put together a strong first half last season, and finished the year with 35 points despite fading late.
The 27-year-old who scored 30 goals with Spartak Moscow in the KHL probably won’t ever do the same thing in the NHL, but there’s no reason he shouldn’t be an effective middle-six player.
Right now, though, his lack of confidence and Roy’s lack of trust in him appear to be working hand in hand to sabotage the situation.
Roy, when announcing that Tsyplakov would come back in the lineup against Vancouver after sitting three straight games, also took a hard left turn when he brought up Tsyplakov’s last KHL season, saying he wanted the winger to be a power forward and get pucks to the net.
That may not have directly contradicted his prior messaging to the player. But for most of the last calendar year, Roy has preached responsibility with the puck and playing north as keys for Tsyplakov to stay in the lineup.
For a player whose confidence was already low, the sudden change there may not have helped matters.
Roy, who hasn’t hesitated to criticize his players in the past, steadfastly refused to do so postgame.
“I’m not saying he was struggling. Sometimes [it’s] just coaching,” he said. “You just go with your feeling and it’s nothing personal on this one.”
The Islanders did not practice Tuesday in Seattle.
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
