Max Shabanov Makes His Mark with the Islanders
OTTAWA, Ontario — In his debut week in the NHL, Max Shabanov showcased moments of impressive skill.
The Russian winger found the net with his very first shot for the Islanders and continued to come close afterward, impressing the home fans with daring plays that led to more goals.
Yet, amid those highlights, he sometimes appeared to be finding his footing, struggling a bit and not always influencing the game as much as he could.
“This is the big leagues,” Shabanov mentioned recently. “It’s a physical league… You need to score and help your team win.”
Shabanov mainly occupies the third line but also sees some time on the power play. Advanced metrics suggest the Islanders often found themselves behind during his time on the ice.
Nevertheless, coach Patrick Roy expressed satisfaction with Shabanov’s growth. He noted that the young player’s commitment in defense stood out during training camp, recalling an instance when Shabanov was eager to seek feedback.
“I feel like every game he’s getting more comfortable on the ice,” Roy commented. “His confidence is growing. He’s moving the puck really well, and his defensive play was a nice surprise.”
Meanwhile, Alexander Romanov sat out Friday’s practice for maintenance. Roy plans to decide on his participation for Saturday’s game, likely finalizing choices after warmups.
If Romanov is unable to play, Adam Boqvist could make his season debut.
Despite David Rittich’s commendable outing for the Nets on Thursday, the Islanders remain committed to starting Ilya Sorokin for Saturday’s match.
“One save at a time,” Roy stated regarding Sorokin’s performance expectations, emphasizing the importance of gradual improvement. “You build on one save at a time. That’s how it goes.”
In other news, team statistician Eric Hornig revealed that Bo Horvat has become the first Islander since Patrick Flatley in 1994 to score a power-play goal, a short-handed goal, and a regular strength goal in a single game. Bob Vaughn had previously achieved this on March 13, 1984.
