In the summer of 2025, the New York Islanders signed highly-coveted Russian free agent forward Maxim Shabanov to a one-year deal.
Shabanov joined an Islanders' team flush with Russians, most notably star goaltender Ilya Sorokin, who made his own transition from the KHL to the NHL once upon a time.
Shabanov played 38 of the first 52 Islanders' games in the season, missing 12 games due to an early-season injury.
Shabanov had 4 goals and 11 points after those 38 games.
The Islanders and general manager Mathieu Darche acquired Ondrej Palat, and he lost his lineup place.
Shabanov played just six of the final 30 Islanders' games and never quite regained his footing within the organization. Ultimately, Darche did not qualify Shabanov, making him an unrestricted free agent.
Shabanov then signed with the Minnesota Wild .
Sorokin opened up about what went wrong for Shabanov in an interview with Russian outlet Sport Express .
"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."
It's a telling response from Sorokin, who points to Shabanov's potential frustration at signing for an opportunity to play big minutes for the Islanders, ultimately not happening the way he thought it might.
Sorokin gave more insight.
"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."
Shabanov, whether fair or not, did not earn a right to stay in New York's lineup after those first 38 games. Despite flashes of brilliance, he posted just 11 points in 38 games.
Brayden Schenn scored 6 goals and totaled 11 points in 19 games with the Islanders.
Shabanov showed immense skill at times but struggled with the defensive systems and did not have consistency.
Those two issues combined hurt his season, and most importantly, limited his ice time, something Sorokin noted.
"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."
Sorokin summed up his thoughts on the entire situation, then bid Shabanov good luck in Minnesota.
"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."
