Farmingville's Keith Kinkaid and wing Maxim Tsyplakov looking for a chance to make Islanders roster at rookie camp
Islanders goalie Keith Kinkaid looks on during the first on-ice session of rookie camp on Thursday in East Meadow. Credit: Dawn McCormick
Twenty-one of the 23 players on the roster for Islanders’ rookie camp, which opened on Thursday, are as advertised — prospects trying to earn a role in professional hockey.
The other two — goalie Keith Kinkaid of Farmingville and wing Maxim Tsyplakov — form a separate category.
Kinkaid, now 35, has played 169 NHL games for five franchises after current Islanders president/general manager Lou Lamoriello signed him for the Devils as an undrafted free agent in 2012. He is trying to prolong his career on a professional tryout offer. Tsyplakov, who turns 26 next week, has seven seasons of KHL experience and was the fourth-leading goal scorer in Russia’s top league last season before signing a one-year, $950,000 deal with the Islanders.
“I live on Long Island so it’s nice and easy to come here, everything was here for me over the summer,” Kinkaid said post-practice at Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow. “I’m just putting my best foot forward. Be a pro. Be a rookie.”
The affable Kinkaid, who has played just three NHL games since 2021 — one each for the Rangers, Bruins and Avalanche — laughed and drew chuckles about being a thirtysomething at “rookie” camp.
Yet the Islanders may need him for organizational depth depending on franchise goalie Ilya Sorokin’s status.
Sorokin did not participate in the veterans’ informal practice on Thursday — only Semyon Varlamov was on ice with the group — and there’s been speculation he may be injured, though that’s neither been addressed by the Islanders nor Sorokin’s camp. The Islanders said Sorokin’s absence on Thursday was not related to an off-ice issue.
Marcus Hogberg, 29, who last played in the NHL in 2021, was signed this offseason to be the organization’s third goalie. Kinkaid could conceivably compete with him if Sorokin is unavailable.
Sorokin is one of the familiar faces to Tsyplakov — who is expected to earn a spot among the Islanders’ bottom six — in his transition to North America. Tsyplakov played against Sorokin and Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov in the KHL and is also familiar with Varlamov. Former Islander Shane Prince, a teammate the past two seasons with Moscow Spartak, helped Tsyplakov learn English.
The Islanders' Maxim Tsyplakov skates during the first on-ice session of rookie camp on Thursday in East Meadow. Credit: Dawn McCormick
“It’s a good opportunity for me,” Tsyplakov said. “Big chance. I want to play hockey in the big league and I want to work with Patrick.”
That would be Hall of Famer Patrick Roy, starting his first full season behind the Islanders bench after taking over midway through last season.
Tsyplakov said, of course he knows Roy by reputation.
“My whole life I’ve watched the NHL,” said Tsyplakov, who had 31 goals and 16 assists in 65 games last season. “And played PlayStation.”
Like Kinkaid, Tsyplakov drew laughs.
The 6-3, 210-pound Tsyplakov said he knows he must play physically in the NHL. He added his game is to play at the net and he can also contribute on the penalty kill and as a net-front presence on the power play.
Andrew Gross joined Newsday in 2018 to cover the Islanders. He began reporting on the NHL in 2003 and has previously covered the Rangers and Devils. Other assignments have included the Jets, St. John’s and MLB.
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