According to a recent report from Russian outlet Match! TV, the Philadelphia Flyers are among 4 NHL clubs showing interest in upcoming KHL free agent forward Maxim Shabanov.
The article listed the Flyers, the New York Islanders, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Tampa Bay Lightning as the quartet of teams that are interested in his services. It was mentioned that whenever he signed his contract with Traktor Chelyabinsk, he always had the intention to make the jump to the NHL ahead of the 2025-26 season.
Shabanov won’t make a decision until the end of the season as he is currently under contract but with rumours swirling in recent weeks, it sounds like he does indeed plan on coming to the NHL next season.
The 24-year-old forward was born and raised in Chelyabinsk, Russia, which doesn’t make it all too surprising that he’s spent his entire playing career within their system dating all the way back to his days in the U16 ranks. He spent 4 years in the MHL, which is the equivalent of major junior hockey in the Russian system, before spending parts of 3 seasons in the VHL and 4 seasons in the KHL.
Shabanov’s first real taste of the KHL came in 2022-23 when he tallied 18 goals and 31 points in 67 games as a rookie. He followed that up with 25 goals and 50 points in 64 games last year and is on pace this season for a near point-per-game finish with 18 goals and 46 points in 48 games for Traktor so far.
The undrafted forward stands in at a diminutive stature of 5’8” and 157 pounds, which isn’t necessarily looked upon in high graces in the NHL, but he does possess a lot of offensive firepower which can assuredly be translated in North America.
The Flyers also reportedly talked to Egor Zamula over the summer to get some inside scoop on the forward. Zamula and Shabanov were both born and raised in Chelyabinsk, were both born in 2000, and had spent considerable amount of time with each other in the junior ranks.
While the Flyers are filled to the brim with forwards, especially wingers, it doesn’t necessarily make all that much sense for them to be looking to bring on another one. However, with Shabanov’s skillset and the Flyers’ proclivity of signing and drafting Russians, it might not be the worst thing.
There remains question marks surrounding the standing of forwards like Joel Farabee with trade rumours intensifying throughout the season, Tyson Foerster is an RFA this summer, plus they have the likes of Owen Tippett, Travis Konecny, Bobby Brink, and Matvei Michkov in and around their top-6. It’s certainly a logjam up front but Shabanov’s talent is undeniable and something the Flyers currently lack.
What will be interesting is what his contract will look like and whether or not the Flyers can afford it – or better yet, if it makes sense. While many have speculated that the Flyers would be swimming in cap space during the summer of 2025, they in fact will be rather tightly bound, especially factoring in their upcoming RFAs.
If they don’t make any moves to jettison contracts off their roster from now to the summer, the Flyers have around $17.5 million to work with a projected cap increase to $92.5 million. Foerster, Morgan Frost, Noah Cates, and Cam York all seem like candidates who will return in some capacity next season, which won’t leave much cap space leftover.
All 4 players could come in around $14M-$15M but the Flyers would also have the option to place Ryan Ellis on LTIR and alleviate an extra $6.25 million should they finally feel the need. It’s not out of the realm of possibility that they move on from veterans like Scott Laughton and Rasmus Ristolainen either, but as has been reported already, they aren’t in a rush and their asking prices have been sky-high.
We won’t find out about Shabanov’s decision until the end of April-start of May, but the Flyers are in the mix and it could affect their draft day plans and/or free agency.
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