Minnesota Wild sign Maxim Shabanov to one-year NHL deal
The Minnesota Wild signed forward Maxim Shabanov to a one-year, $1,600,000 contract for the 2026-27 season, president of hockey operations and general manager Bill Guerin announced on July 2, 2026. The former KHL standout joins Minnesota after the New York Islanders declined to extend a qualifying offer, giving the Wild another creative top-six winger. Shabanov, 25, arrives one year after posting 67 points in 65 KHL games with Traktor Chelyabinsk and 18 points in 44 NHL games with the Islanders.
Key Takeaways
- Shabanov signed a one-year, $1.6 million deal with Minnesota for 2026-27.
- He posted 18 points in 44 games during his NHL rookie season with the Islanders.
- Before North America, he ranked third in KHL scoring with 67 points in 65 games in 2024-25.
- The Wild add creativity after losing Mats Zuccarello, Vladimir Tarasenko and Marcus Johansson.
- The Islanders declined a qualifying offer, making Shabanov an unrestricted free agent.
Why did the Wild sign Maxim Shabanov?
Minnesota moved quickly after Shabanov hit the open market. The Hockey News reported that the Islanders declined to extend a qualifying offer earlier in the week, making the winger an unrestricted free agent. It did not take long for him to find a new NHL home.
The Wild needed offensive help after Mats Zuccarello, Vladimir Tarasenko and Marcus Johansson departed earlier this offseason. Shabanov brings puck skills, vision and creativity that Minnesota hopes can slot into a top-six role. The Hockey News noted he could be a strong fit alongside Kirill Kaprizov and Danilla Yurov.
What did Shabanov do in his NHL rookie season?
Shabanov spent the 2025-26 campaign with the New York Islanders. According to the Wild's official announcement, he recorded 18 points (five goals, 13 assists), two penalty minutes and 56 shots on goal in 44 games.
The 5-foot-9, 167-pound Chelyabinsk native scored in his NHL debut on Oct. 9 at Pittsburgh and posted his first multi-point game (two goals, one assist) on Nov. 20 at Detroit.
How dominant was Shabanov in the KHL?
Before joining the NHL, Shabanov spent four seasons (2021-25) with Traktor Chelyabinsk. He collected 150 points (67 goals, 83 assists), 26 penalty minutes and a plus-23 rating over 207 KHL games, per Minnesota's release.
In 2024-25, he ranked third in regular-season KHL scoring with 67 points (23 goals, 44 assists) in 65 games and earned a spot on the KHL First All-Star Team. He added 20 points in 21 playoff games during Traktor's 2025 Gagarin Cup run, leading the league in postseason goals and plus-minus (+14). He also played in the 2024 and 2025 KHL All-Star Games.
Where can fans follow Wild roster news this offseason?
Shabanov's signing is official team news heading into the 2026-27 NHL season. Fans tracking Minnesota's roster moves can follow the club's announcements and league updates as training camp approaches.
For more alerts on sports viewing and league coverage, browse our Streaming & TV Alerts section. Full contract and career details are available in the Wild's official signing announcement on NHL.com.