Philadelphia Flyers
· 2026-06-30
The Philadelphia Flyers may swoop in to sign former KHL star Maxim Shabanov after the New York Islanders failed to tender a qualifying offer.
The New York Islanders did not tender a qualifying offer to pending restricted free agent Maxim Shabanov, making him an unrestricted free agent.
The Islanders could still sign Shabanov to a team-friendly deal, but he can now explore other options.
The Philadelphia Flyers were heavily in pursuit of Shabanov last year, and their situation remains largely unchanged.
They have a propensity for bringing in players they like when the time is right.
The Flyers are currently 8th in the Eastern Conference with a 43-27 record, on a W3 streak, after losing 2-3 to the Carolina Hurricanes on 2026-05-09.
Rodrigo Abols, Nick Deslauriers, and Garnet Hathaway have seen their roster spots taken by rookies Denver Barkey, Alex Bump, and Porter Martone.
This could leave room for Shabanov if the Flyers still have a plan for him.
The Flyers don't exactly need another small winger, but they may still be interested in Shabanov's skills.
Shabanov had 18 points in 44 games with the Islanders, which is not far off from a 40-point pace.
He was not able to earn the trust of head coaches Patrick Roy and Pete DeBoer, but the Flyers may see something in him.
The Flyers have a history of bringing in players they like, and Shabanov could be their next target.
Maxim Shabanov is now an unrestricted free agent and can sign with any of the 31 NHL teams starting on July 1.
The Philadelphia Flyers will have to act fast if they want to sign Shabanov, as other teams may also be interested.