Last Wednesday, the New York Islanders landed KHL star Maxim Shabanov, signing him to a one-year entry-level deal, just as they did the year prior with Maxim Tsyplakov.

According to RG's exclusive interview with Shabanov's agent, Alex Chernykh, Shabanov had questions he needed answered before choosing his NHL team.

“He has his own checklist,” Chernykh said. “The most important thing was ice time—how much he’d play, who he’d play with. He went deep into the details. He asked about power-play systems, he talked to coaches, and he wanted to understand everything. That’s why the negotiations took so long.

Maxim Shabanov Prioritized Ice Time And Fit In Choosing Islanders Maxim Shabanov turned down multiple NHL offers, picking the Islanders based on role, system fit, and power-play opportunity

With the Islanders bringing in a new power-play coach in Rick Bennett, and Patrick Roy looking to play a speedy, skilled 5-on-5 game, Shabanov should fit like a glove into the Islanders' game plan under new GM Mathieu Darche.

However, one thing everyone must keep in mind is that the NHL isn't the KHL.

The 5'8" forward put KHL opponents into blenders on a nightly basis, but the NHL is more physical, more about one-on-one battles, and if Shabanov wants to play a lot, he'll have to prove valuable outside of the dangles.

That's not us saying Shabanov is a one-dimensional player, as he appears to be an impressive power-play passer and has a fantastic release.

But it's going to be a different game, for sure.

"What I did like about him, he's a small forward, but he plays big," Roy said on the last day of development camp. "He goes into traffic, he goes into those areas. And what I also liked is the way that he played in his defensive zone coverage.

"Sometimes you bring a guy in and you feel like the adjustment is going to be very difficult, but I don't think it will be for him, because he's capable of playing well defensively. I know Benoit Groulx was his coach, coached against him in junior. Benoit is a very structured person, so he did a really nice job with him. I'm pretty confident that the adjustment period for him is probably gonna be easier because if he doesn't score early on, at least he can rely on playing well defensively and give himself a bit of time, buy time to get his offense going."

Inside Patrick Roy’s First Impressions Of Maxim Shabanov <b>EAST MEADOW, NY -- </b>On Wednesday night, the<a href="http://thn.com/isles"> New York Islanders</a> landed KHL free agent <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/latest-news/breaking-islanders-land-khl-forward-maxim-shabanov">Maxim Shabanov</a>, a talented forward who had many teams trying to bring him in.

There’s no skilled player who wants to play a bottom-six role, and like Tsyplakov, Shabanov will get the chance to prove his worth at training camp and in the preseason, so we’ll see how high he gets on the depth chart.

As you may recall, the plan for Tsyplakov was for him to be a top-six forward for Long Island. He received some playing time throughout the season, but given his physicality and power-forward skills, he spent most of his time in the bottom six.

And that’s okay. That doesn’t mean that’s where he’ll be in 2025–26.

Former NHLer and KHLer Ilya Kovalchuk, in an exclusive interview with RG, had a similar message for the newest Islander:

“It’s clear he looked at where he’d get ice time and maybe play on the power play. That matters when you’re just starting out,” Kovalchuk said. “But roles change fast. What they tell you before training camp might not match what you get after 10 games. So you need to be ready—physically and mentally.”

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If we are projecting the Islanders' opening night roster, Shabanov likely slots in on the top power-play unit, on the flank, as Roy said.

At 5-on-5 -- he could slot in on the third line:

Drouin-Horvat-Palmieri

Lee-Barzal-Holmstrom

Duclair-Pageau-Shabanov

Tsyplakov-Cizikas-Heineman

Per Chernykh, plans are being made with the Islanders, and visa arrangements are underway.

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PHOTO:  James Guillory-Imagn Images