Maxim Shabanov arrived in New York with plenty of buzz, but his first season with the Islanders never really found its rhythm.
Signed in the summer of 2025 to a one-year deal, the Russian forward joined a roster that already featured several players from his home country, including goaltender Ilya Sorokin, who knows the jump from the KHL to the NHL as well as anyone. Shabanov got into 38 of the Islanders’ first 52 games, though an early-season injury cost him 12 contests. Through that stretch, he had four goals and 11 points.
Then the lineup picture changed. After the Islanders and general manager Mathieu Darche brought in Ondrej Palat, Shabanov lost his spot.
He appeared in only six of the final 30 games and never managed to get back into the mix. By the end, Darche chose not to qualify him, which sent Shabanov into unrestricted free agency.
Sorokin didn’t sugarcoat what he thought happened. “It seems to me, and this is just my opinion, that he should have realized sooner that the promises he might have made before the season weren't worth keeping in mind all year,” Sorokin said.
“He needed a little more positivity and patience. He shouldn't show any dissatisfaction, but simply work and wait for his chance.”
He added that the adjustment from a bigger role elsewhere to the NHL grind can be a tough one. “I understand his position,” Sorokin continued.
“He came from a team where he spent 25 minutes on the ice, played on the power play, and got everything he wanted. That wasn't the case in the NHL.
But that's the NHL. There are guys who are already trusted.
They might even be weaker than you at a given moment, but you can't just take their place - you have to earn it. That can only be done through performance on the ice.”
The bottom line was simple: Shabanov didn’t do enough to hold onto his place after those first 38 games. He finished with 11 points in 38 games, and while there were moments when his skill jumped off the ice, the consistency wasn’t there. He also had trouble with the defensive systems, and those issues cost him minutes.
Sorokin pointed to that playing-time drop as part of the story. “Shabanov is a very talented guy,” Sorokin said.
“He had some really great games. He probably expected to start getting more playing time after them, but instead, his playing time was cut back a bit.”
He closed by wishing Shabanov well with his next stop. “The coaching staff has its own vision, so there's no point in discussing it.
So he needed to stay more positive, not get upset, but work hard and wait for his opportunity. I wish him luck in Minnesota.
He's very talented, his technique, his hands.”
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