Wildcats hope they hit jackpot with Kabanov
Published Wednesday July 1st, 2009
Moncton selects two forwards in European draft
The Moncton Wildcats rolled the dice at the 2009 Canadian Hockey League import draft yesterday.
They took a gamble by claiming Russian left winger Kirill Kabanov with the seventh overall pick. He's 6-foot-3 and 176 pounds, he's played in both the world under-18 and world under-17 championships, and he would be a 17-year-old in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League next season.
There's a risk factor associated with Kabanov because he's under contract to Moscow Spartak in the country's professional Continental Hockey League.
"We felt he was the best player available in the draft,'' said Moncton head coach and director of hockey operations Danny Flynn. "It's safe to say that he's a consensus top five pick on everybody's list for the 2010 National Hockey League draft and many consider him a potential first overall pick.
"He's a dynamic offensive player. Physically, he looks like Ilya Kovalchuk (of the Atlanta Thrashers). He's a tall, rangy, right shot left winger with great speed and great skills. We're trying to improve our offence and we thought he was the best player for our club in this draft.''
The Hockey News ranks Taylor Hall, a centre with the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League, as the top prospect for the 2010 NHL draft. The publication ranks Kabanov No. 2 and Moncton defenceman Brandon Gormley No. 3.
The Hockey News offers this assessment of Kabanov: "great vision, scorer's ability to find open spaces. Big, but still needs to put on weight. A classic Russian winger, very good technically.''
Imagine Moncton having two of the top three players selected in the 2010 NHL draft. That dream scenario would materialize if The Hockey News rankings hold true and if Kabanov joins the Wildcats.
Moncton is looking to work with Kabanov's agent, who's based in New York, and begin negotiations immediately with Moscow Spartak to get him released from his contract there.
Kabanov had 11 points, including four goals, in seven games in the 2009 world under-18 championship. Flynn believes he would've clearly been the first overall pick in the draft if it was certain that he would come to major junior next season.
"We recognize there's work to be done to bring him to Moncton, but our thinking is that a player of this ability level doesn't come around very often,'' said Flynn. "He has a chance to be an impact player right off the bat.
"We've dealt primarily with the agent. We've also spoken with the boy and he has indicated a sincere interest in coming to North America to play in the Canadian Hockey League so that's a positive step forward.
"He's had significant international experience. He's a tremendously exciting player and we're going to work hard to try to make it happen. If we're fortunate enough to get him here, he would be as talented a player as we've ever had in Moncton.''
The CHL is the umbrella over the 60 teams in the QMJHL, Ontario Hockey League and Western Hockey League. Each team is allowed to have two Europeans.
Moncton also selected Slovakian left winger Marek Hrivik with the No. 34 pick. He's 6-foot-2 and 183 pounds and he'll be an 18-year-old next season who's eligible for the 2010 NHL draft.
He had five points, including two goals, in six games in the 2009 world under-18 championship. He also suited up in this year's world junior championship.
"He was one of two 17-year-olds on the Slovak national junior team,'' said Flynn. "I watched him at the world under-18 championship. He's got good size, he's a good two-way forward and we think that once he adapts to major junior he can be a solid contributer for us.
"I think he has the potential to be a top six forward for us next season, probably in that four, five, six range. We've had numerous discussions and all indications through the agent are that he will be here for training camp.''
Moncton still has left winger Adam Bezak on a special list for 20-year-old Europeans. If Kabanov, Hrivik and Bezak are all in training camp, the club will have to choose which two to keep.
The Saint John Sea Dogs made Russian right winger Stanislav Galiev, 6-foot-1 and 182 pounds, the first overall pick. He will play as a 17-year-old next season.
He had 64 points, including 29 goals, in 60 games this season with Indiana in the junior A United States Hockey League.
"He could be a first-round NHL draft pick next year,'' said Saint John head scout Normand Gosselin. "Right now, it's 50-50 whether he will come here. He might stay with Indiana because he's been there for a year and he's comfortable with the organization.
"The agent believes that major junior is the best place for him to play. Mike Kelly, our director of hockey operations, is going to Moscow in July to meet with the player and his family. I think he'll end up on our team.''
Saint John claimed Slovakian right winger Tomas Jurco, six foot and 175 pounds, with the No. 4 pick. He's already confirmed that he's joining the Sea Dogs and he will play as a 17-year-old next season.
He had 49 points, including 19 goals, in 48 games this season playing in the Slovakian junior A ranks.
The Acadie-Bathurst Titan selected Russian centre Ilya Mashentsov with the No. 66 pick. The 6-foot, 165-pound Mashentsov turns 17 in September.
The first eight picks in the 2009 CHL import draft were forwards. In fact, 14 of the first 16 picks were forwards.
"The European draft involves a tremendous amount of work,'' said Flynn. "Sometimes you're rewarded and sometimes you're not. It's unlike any other draft because it's not even really a draft. It's more like free agency.
"You have some agents picking which teams and which leagues they want their clients to play in. Some agents want the kids playing in a place that's near them. It's worth noting that four of the top five picks in last year's European draft didn't show up.''
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