Let’s get this out of the way first: New York Islanders winger Max Tsyplakov isn’t going anywhere.
The Russian winger filed for arbitration earlier this month, and as Isles fans, we’re now watching the calendar, not the cap sheet. Tsyplakov’s arbitration filing isn’t exactly front-page news — and that’s the point. Arbitration rarely makes headlines because, frankly, it rarely happens. Of the 14 players who filed last summer, only one, Nashville’s Spencer Stastney, made it to a hearing. Still, as Isles fans, we’d be wise to keep an eye on how this plays out, because it says a lot about how new General Manager Mathieu Darche plans to run the show.