The Detroit Red Wings are no strangers to Russian players. If anything, Russians have been a big, important part of the team's past. Now, an opportunity has presented itself to add one more to the fold.
Maxim Shabanov is a highly-skilled winger who plays for Traktor Chelyabinsk in the KHL. This summer, he reaches free agency and is considering a move to North America.
Shabanov is a left-handed right winger who played produced at over a point-per-game clip for Traktor in the 2024-25 season. He put up 67 points (23 goals, 44 assists) in 65 regular season games and 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists) in 21 postseason games. He finished third in points for the KHL.
Fellow Russian right winger Vladimir Tarasenko struggled to meet expectations for the Red Wings this past season. Replacing him with Shabanov would be an immediate upgrade. Tarasenko is under contract through the end of this coming 2025-26 season and has a cap hit of $4.75 million.
The organization may either need to either find a trade partner for Tarasenko's services or bite the bullet and keep him on the roster. He is 33 and his production is slipping. However, he may still be a good addition for a playoff team looking to add some secondary scoring depth.
Shabanov is fast, can score, is a very intelligent player, and is fun to watch. He is listed as both a center and a right winger, though wing is his primary position.
The Russian phenom is a bit undersized at 5'8" and 157 pounds. He might be ragdolled by some of the larger and tougher players in the league. However, his speed and slick skating can offset that, allowing him to elude checks.
Given his skill and flashiness, he will also draw a crowd by filling seats with fans who want to take in the Shabanov experience.
All things considered, there are not many reasons not to take a run at him. The only question is: does he want to come to Detroit? Pittsburgh, Piladelphia, and Las Vegas seem to be his top choices. The Red Wings may need to sweeten offer if they want to bring Shabanov to Hockeytown.