Max Shabanov’s stark Islanders learning curve showing in KHL transition
Max Shabanov’s skill level is obvious from watching just a few minutes of him at practice.
The Russian winger can skate. He can manipulate defenders. He can pull moves out of his bag. It’s obvious how he became a point-per-game player last season in the KHL, when he scored 23 goals with 44 assists for Traktor Chelyabinsk.
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What’s going to determine whether he can approach those heights in North America, though, is everything else: His play away from the puck, his defensive zone coverage, his ability to withstand NHL physicality and get through the grind of an 82-game season.
Shabanov, whose English has gotten better even in the short time he’s been on Long Island, was peppering coach Patrick Roy with questions about the defensive zone just the other day. When Roy asked why, Shabanov replied, “’Cause this is how we win.”
“You’re like, ‘Ohhh. I love this,’ ” Roy said Sunday. “And I love the fact that he’s got skills.”
Evident though those skills are, along with Shabanov’s desire to win, it is going to take time for the rest of his game to translate.
That already has been evident in the preseason, as Shabanov looked lost at times Friday against the Devils, and was dropped from the top line Monday night, playing instead with Jean-Gabriel Pageau and Simon Holmstrom on the third line.
Predictably for a player listed at 5-foot-8, 157 pounds, the physical side of things has not come easily either.
“Here, [we] play more physical,” Shabanov said prior to Monday’s 3-2 preseason overtime loss to the Rangers. “But I try to play fast [and] I can play physical.”
David Rittich stopped 16-of-19 shots, letting in goals on two of the first three shots he saw.
“It’s better when that happens in preseason than regular season,” Rittich said. “I hope I got rid of those unlucky bounces and bad reads by me.”
When asked about the state of the competition between Rittich and Marcus Hogberg for the backup goalie spot, Roy demurred.
“I’m sure we’ll have a lot of discussions about [it] the remainder of training camp, see how things are,” he said. “So we’ll see soon.”
Anders Lee (upper body) was the only NHL regular to sit in Monday’s game but skated in the morning without the noncontact jersey he’d worn the prior two practices.
Casey Cizikas shifted to left wing on the fourth line with Cal Ritchie playing center in what could be a potential configuration if Ritchie makes the opening night roster.
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