Prospects: Kirill Kabanov Selected By Montreal in QMJHL Dispersal Draft

Per Chris Botta's Twitter and the QMJHL's Twitter, Islander prospect Kirill Kabanov was selected by Montreal in the Lewiston dispersal draft. Montreal selected Kabanov with the 16th overall pick. Last season, the team finished with a 46-15-5-5 record, which was second overall in the QMJHL. They lost to Lewiston in the second round in the playoffs, 4-2. Kabanov was drafted by the Islanders in the 3rd Round of the 2010 Draft.

CH: It's extremely unfortunate that Lewiston disbanded as Kabanov seemed to really find himself there in the second half of last year and during the QMJHL playoffs. Looking forward, this move could really go either way for Kabanov. It's possible he struggles in the huge market of Montreal, but at the same time he is joining one of the best teams in the league. This is going to be an extremely important year for Kabanov. He needs to be signed by the Islanders by June 1, 2012, and having a disappointing year may make the Islanders more cautious to sign him. His talent is obvious, and his maturation process seems to be on the right track. This move is part of that, and he needs to show he can put it all together as an older junior player in 2011-12.