The Minnesota Wild may have found a low-cost swing with real upside in Maxim Shabanov.
Minnesota brought in the 25-year-old winger on a one-year, $1.6 million deal in free agency, adding another new piece to a roster that has seen multiple changes this offseason. For a player coming off his first NHL season, it’s the kind of bet that could look small in July and a lot bigger by spring.
Shabanov’s first run in the league came in the 2025-26 campaign with the New York Islanders, where he played 44 games and finished with five goals, 13 assists and 18 points. It wasn’t a clean breakout, and the season came with its share of growing pains. But there were also flashes that suggested there’s more offense in there than those numbers show.
That belief is backed up by what he did in the KHL before arriving in the NHL. In 2024-25 with Traktor Chelyabinsk, Shabanov put up 23 goals, 44 assists and 67 points in 65 games. Production like that doesn’t guarantee anything at the next level, but it does explain why Minnesota is willing to give him a real chance.
And that chance may come quickly. Earlier this offseason, GM Bill Guerin told reporters he views Shabanov as the player to step into Mat Zuccarello’s spot in the Wild’s top six this coming season. If Shabanov gets that kind of runway, he’ll have every opportunity to turn a fresh start into a much bigger offensive season.
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