So far this NHL season, the Calgary Flames are easily the worst team in the league. They have lost all of their games and have really struggled to score any goals. With this in mind, one would believe that all of the young players in the organization would be getting a fair chance in the NHL, right? Well, that is just not the case in Calgary. Players like Maxim Tsyplakov and Adam Klapka have been getting ice time over the young players, making the team extremely boring to watch. Both players are not very good and should not be in the lineup, especially Tsyplakov.
Where did Tsyplakov come from?
Tsyplakov is an undrafted forward from Russia. He played in the KHL for many seasons and really broke out during the 2023–24 season. Here, Tsyplakov scored 31 goals and 47 points in 65 games, which was good for second-most on his team in goals. He only trailed former NHL first-round pick Nikolay Goldobin. This season caught the eyes of NHL scouts, which ultimately paid off when he signed with the New York Islanders.
Tsyplakov spent parts of two seasons with the Islanders. His first year in 2024–25 was pretty decent for a first year in the NHL. The Russian forward scored 10 goals and 35 points in 77 contests. That was impressive for what seemed like a solid third-line winger. Unfortunately, Tsyplakov completely fell off in the following season. Tsyplakov looked to build on his previous year, but really struggled to find any success. Through 27 games with the Islanders, he only recorded two points, which led to a trade to New Jersey.
Things did not get any better with the Devils. Through 22 games, Tsyplakov only scored two points as well; that made him good for four on the year. Outside of this, Tsyplakov really did not make any positive impact on the ice. Tsyplakov joined the Flames in the Simon Nemec deal. He was the main cap dump in the deal that made it go through. Maybe there was a chance he could become a fourth-liner on the Flames. So far, the experiment has not worked out.
Why doesn’t he fit on the Flames?
Tsyplakov was a cap dump, plain and simple. He only has one year left on his contract, so taking him on makes sense from a management perspective. However, it has been very surprising to see the opportunity he has gotten with the Flames. Through the first handful of games, he was on the fourth line. His spot in the lineup was fine, but the shock is that he is playing over guys like Connor Zary, Rory Kerins, Aydar Suniev, and Jonathan Castagna.
That all changed in the last game against Colorado. Tsyplakov was a scratch while Suniev and Castagna filled in on the fourth line, which is at least better than nothing. This is exactly where Tsyplakov was expected to be. A fourth liner/extra forward for the Flames throughout the season. In the big picture, Tsyplakov is not standing in the way of Zary or Kerins. Unfortunately, Zary is likely done in Calgary while Kerins might be a career AHLer.
This hope for the young guns did not last long, though. The lines at the last Flames practice were as follows:
No Honzek at Flames practice today, but the lines, from what I can tell: Suniev-Frost-Coronato Gridin-Strome-Tsyplakov Sharangovich-Backlund-Farabee Othmann-Pospisil-Klapka Bahl-Nemec Kuznetsov-Whitecloud Middleton-Parekh
— Danny Austin (@DannyAustin_9) October 9, 2026
As awesome as it is to see Suniev on the first line, Castagna is out, and Honzek is replaced by none other than Tsyplakov. If he gets any time in the top-six, this team will become more embarrassing than it already is.
The plan moving forward
Looking ahead into the season, there are three options the Flames should have with Tsyplakov. First is placing him on the fourth line for the entire season. Second is using him as an extra forward. Third would be to send him down to the AHL. All three of these options can be acceptable, assuming he does not get priority over any prospects.
Technically, Tsyplakov could fit on the fourth line. A trio of him, Pospisil, and Klapka would be alright if it means guys like Suniev and Castagna can play up in the lineup. Outside of the fourth line, I would be fine with Tsyplakov being an extra forward. He can fill in when injuries happen, or scratches are needed, as he can bring some physicality to the lineup.
Overall, I think the best idea would be to send him down. It does not really matter if any other team claims him off waivers because he has no future with the Flames. Tsyplakov is in the final year of his two-year deal with an annual salary of $2.250M. I highly doubt any team would be willing to take that contract at that price. And with getting sent down, Tsyplakov could gain a more significant role in the AHL.
What do you think the Flames should do with Tsyplakov?
