One young Islanders player is quietly falling out of the picture

"Last season, Tsyplakov looked like he was on an upward trajectory, clocking in 35 points and 10 goals across 77 contests along with a plus-4 rating. He was a physical force, with 140 hits, and Tsyplakov also logged middle-six minutes, with an average time on ice of 14:58. Not bad for a first-year player."

"Through three games this season, Tsyplakov has been beyond disappointing, with zero points, a minus-2 rating, and 9:39 of average total ice time. That regression isn't something you want to see from a young player who can transform into a reliable piece of a brewing core on Long Island. To make matters worse, Tsyplakov hasn't fared well in advanced metrics either. He's been on the ice for two goals allowed at even strength and has just an 84.6 on-ice save percentage. Meanwhile, he's recorded a Corsi For of just 45.6, despite 76.5 percent of his starts coming in the offensive zone. His Corsi, at worst, should be at least 60 percent, but it's becoming clear that the Isles are getting limited chances when he's on the ice."

"Now in his second full season on Long Island, Tsyplakov was expected to reside somewhere in the half-point per game mark. With 35 of them in 77 contests a season ago, Tsyplakov resided in the 0.454 mark per contest range, so bumping up to a half-point per shouldn't be that difficult. But the upside is that the Isles are only a few games into the 2025-26 season, so there's enough time for him to get his act together. That said, right now, the first step in seeing a young player fade is for them to watch games from the press box."

Last season produced 35 points, 10 goals, a plus-4 rating, 140 hits, and 14:58 average ice time across 77 games for Tsyplakov. Through three games this season he has zero points, a minus-2 rating, and 9:39 average ice time. Advanced metrics show two even-strength goals allowed while on the ice, an 84.6 on-ice save percentage, and a Corsi For of 45.6 despite 76.5 percent offensive-zone starts. Last season's 0.454 points per game suggested a near half-point pace. The season is young, but continued decline could lead to regular scratches.

Read at Eyes On Isles