The Minnesota Wild announced today that they have reached an agreement with forward Maxim Shabanov, securing his services on a one-year contract worth $1.6 million for the upcoming 2026-27 season.
Shabanov, a 25-year-old native of Chelyabinsk, Russia, arrives after a breakout rookie season with the New York Islanders and a distinguished four-year stint with Traktor Chelyabinsk in the KHL, where he amassed 150 points over 207 games.
A Russian Surge in Minnesota
In his NHL debut on October 9 in Pittsburgh, Shabanov scored a goal, and a month later he recorded his first career multi-point game, contributing two goals and an assist against Detroit.
His KHL performance has been equally impressive; in the 2024-25 regular season he ranked third in league scoring with 67 points, earned a spot on the KHL First All-Star Team, and helped Traktor reach the Gagarin Cup playoffs, adding 20 points in 21 postseason games.
Wild General Manager Bill Guerin praised the addition, highlighting Shabanov’s size, work ethic and proven scoring touch, and expressed optimism that the Russian forward will bolster the team’s depth as they aim for a playoff push.
The contract reflects the club’s confidence in the player’s ability to translate his international success to the NHL stage, and fans can expect to see him suiting up for Minnesota’s next home game.