Vladimir Tsyplakov is one of many players in Sabres history to wear jersey number 29. Today, on the second-to-last day of April, let’s take a look at Tsyplakov, one of two Russian former Sabres to rock the #29.
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VLADIMIR TSYPLAKOV
Left Wing, b. 1969
Acquired by the Sabres via trade, 2000
Tsyplakov had already played in several different leagues prior to his time with the Sabres. He played with Yaroslavl Torpedo and Minsk Dynamo, both overseas in Russia, from 1985 until 1992, when he came over to North America and began his career here.
Tsyplakov played with the Indianopolis Ice of the IHL, Detroit Falcons of the CoHL and Fort Wayne Komets of the IHL prior to being drafted. The Los Angeles Kings selected Tsyplakov with the 59th overall selection in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft.
He played 23 games with the Kings in the 1995-96 season season, scoring five goals and five assists in that stretch. He also spent part of that year with the Las Vegas Thunder of the IHL, notching 11 points in nine games. Tsyplakov spent all of the next three seasons with the Kings, also playing in 29 games with LA in the 1999-2000 season.
Tsyplakov came to the Sabres on January 23, 2000. The Kings traded him, along with a 2001 conditional 8th-rounder (Marek Dubec) to the Sabres. In exchange, they received a 2000 8th-rounder (Dan Welch) and a 2001 conditional 6th-round pick (Art Femenella).
He finished out that season with the Sabres, notching six goals and 13 assists in 34 regular season games. He also had one assist in five playoff games with Buffalo. Tsyplakov also appeared in 36 regular season games with the Sabres in the 2000-2001 season, notching 14 points in that stretch. He’d wrap up his Sabres career – and North American career – with one goal in nine playoff games that season.
Tsyplakov went on to spend the next three seasons with Kazan Ak-Bars in Russia before playing the 2004-05 season with CSKA Moscow. He finished his playing career with 349 games of NHL experience (regular season & playoffs combined), and 173 points in that time.
Other Sabres to wear #29: Jake McCabe, Jason Pominville, Jaroslav Kristek, Bob Corkum, Jason Holland, Paul Kruse, Darryl Shannon, Dane Jackson, Scott Pearson, Denis Tsygurov, Jeff Parker, Richie Dunn, Mark Ferner, Jeff Parker, Mal Davis, Dave Andreychuk, Jacques Cloutier, Val James, Mike Moller, Don Edwards, Gary Bromley