First ever player born in the country of Russia to be drafted tonight

[juliansteed]

...probably. If not tonight then tomorrow. Anyone else feel old?

 

[jstewismybastardson]

will Kabanov be the first one (lol) he has dropped like a rock ... talk the canucks might be interested

that is amazing to think he might slip all the way to the late 2nd round and he was being talked about amongst Taylor and Tyler before the season

In the two previous drafts with GM Mike Gillis at the controls, the Canucks got the player they wanted in the first round because he was the guy no one else wanted. Both Cody Hodgson in 2008 and Jordan Schroeder in 2009 slid down the draft pole and landed in the Canucks' laps. Both times Vancouver had the player ranked well above where they were picking.

Could it happen again? The Canucks, who select 25th overall, plan on waiting to the last minute to find out.

"I think we wait until the 24th selection is made and then we will make the decision," said Gillis, who doesn't have a second- or third-round pick. "It's unlikely we have the resources to move up in the draft, but we probably do to move down."

So, it shouldn't be a surprise the Canucks have shown significant interest and done their homework on the riskiest player in the draft, one who has world-class talent but a classless reputation.

For starters, Kirill Kabanov is Russian and drafting Russians these days is thought to be like being in a Dirty Harry movie. You got to feel real lucky because playing in the KHL is a viable alternative.

"It all depends on the player; it can be really risky or it can be a young guy who really wants to play in North America and really wants to play in the NHL," Gillis said. "You have to be extremely careful. There is a lot of pressure for them to play in Russia."

But Kabanov has more serious problems than the KHL, which is why he has gone from the player who two years ago many thought would go first overall to someone who may slip into the second round or even to the third round, according to some.

In short, Kabanov deserted Moncton, his QMJHL team, when his role was reduced and returned to Russia. There, he was unceremoniously cut from the world under-18 championship and ripped by its coach who basically said was entitled and brought "confusion" to the team. Then, Kabanov was dropped by powerful NHL agent J. P. Barry. Those are three big strikes and not enough to keep the Canucks away.

"We spoke to him in an interview," Gillis said. "There have been some challenges he has had and different issues. We will have to make that decision if he's there at 25.

"I think our scouts feel he does [have top-10 talent].

"There are two sides to every story. It would be unfair for me to comment because I wasn't there. We've tried to find out as best we could what went on and it would probably be better if I keep that to myself."

Of course, what the Canucks found out — and Gillis said he talked to Barry — may dissuade them from selecting Kabanov, who may be had in the late second round.

But since the end of the season, Kabanov has said all the right things. At the combine, he told reporters leaving Moncton was "the biggest mistake in my career."

He also vowed: "I will stay in North America forever."

Gillis said: "We spoke to him in an interview. There's been some different challenges he's had."

Is it enough to convince Gillis, who many think needs to stockpile defenceman? Hard to say, but Kabanov's deep skill-set is hard to ignore. Just nine months ago, he was right there in comparisons to the best players in this draft, including Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin.

"He's an exceptionally skilled player," E. J. McGuire, the NHL's director of central scouting. "We may all be saying in a few years how 22 teams passed on him. His highly publicized problems will cause him to slide way below his talent level."

Most mock drafts have the Canucks taking a defenceman with their first pick. And it would be a good year for it, according to McGuire. On Thursday, he labelled the draft "the year of the defencemen."

Gillis, at least publicly, doesn't seem to share his enthusiasm.

"I don't think it is [a great year for D-men]," Gillis said. "A couple of years ago was a really great high-end draft for defencemen. This year I think you have a lot of players who need a lot of development.

"It's a bit of a crap shoot."



Read more: Canucks' Gillis: 'It's a bit of a crap shoot'

 

[juliansteed]

I think Kabanov is worth the risk for a team picking late in the 1st round, perhaps even in the middle. He seems to be committed to playing in the NHL. He missed the early part of the Q season because of a legal battle where the KHL tried to block him from playing in North America. Even if he wanted to go back to play in Russia, its hard to say how he would be received. The U-18 team didn't exactly welcome him back with open arms when he left the Wildcats during the playoffs.

That being said, there does seem to be a bit of an attitude problem but he's still just a kid. The Wildcats had pretty much promised KK the world to play for them but then while he was out with a wrist injury the Wildcats made some blockbuster trades and acquired some older talented forwards and when KK came back he was bumped to 3rd and 4th line duties. Apparently that didn't go over too well with him and it sounds like that's where the problems started. From the sounds of it a lot of the agents were turned off by his father too, who is supposedly Carl Lindros' Russian counterpart.

The kid has a lot of talent that can't be denied. If he's still available I wouldn't blame the Canucks for taking him at all.

There are actually a couple of Russian players ranked mid 1st round but they were born in 1991 when it was still USSR. The first player born in the country of Russia could very well be Kabanov. Or it could be Evgeny Kuznetsov or I'm hoping Stanislav Galiev.

 

[BOSSMANPC]

Grapes will be irate !!!

 

[juliansteed]

Grapes will be irate !!!

Ha! Probably. Joseph Stalin might be rolling over in his grave as well.

 

[pixburgher66]

i think that teams with a decent russian core (or at least a prominate russian player) could be expected to take a chance on kirill. the pens don't have a 2nd rounder, so i'm thinking they won't take him. i don't see them taking the chance on him at 20. there's a few other rooskies i'd like though.

 

[CatScrap]

Well, He's at best a second rounder now, if he makes it to pick #68 at the start of the third I would hope Regier would pull the trigger and take a chance, I mean we have 3 3rd rounders.

 

[PhillyPhaithful48]

Can he fall to the flyers so they draft their first ever russian player who is also the first russian born player to be drafted? It would make quite a story

 

[forty_three]

Can he fall to the flyers so they draft their first ever russian player who is also the first russian born player to be drafted? It would make quite a story

Until Bob Clarke jumps out from the shadows and breaks the kid's ankle while they tour the facility.

 

[Bizzle McDizzle]

There's already been PLENTY of players in the NHL who were born when I was in college or after, including two cup winning Captains... already feel old.
This is just piling on.

 

[CatScrap]

Damn, Isles grabbed him 3 picks before us.