The New York Islanders have signed forward Maxim Shabanov to a one-year, entry-level contract.
Shabanov, 24, averaged over a point-per-game with 67 (23 goals and 44 assists) in 65 games last season with Traktor Chelyabinsk of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He set career highs in points, assists and plus-minus rating (+17). The Chelyabinsk, Russia, native added 20 points (10 goals and 10 assists) in 21 playoff games, as Traktor advanced to the Gagarin Cup Final. He led the KHL in playoff goals and plus-minus rating (+14).
In 207 career regular season games over parts of four seasons with Traktor, Shabanov has scored 150 points (67 goals and 83 assists). He’s added 31 points (13 goals and 18 assists) in 36 KHL playoff games.
On the international stage, Shabanov represented his country at the 2017 Hlinka Gretzky Cup and the 2016 U17 World Hockey Challenge, where he won bronze.
