Kirill Kabanov is on his way to Sweden.
Kabanov, the Islanders’ third-round pick (65th overall) at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, has been assigned to MoDo of the Swedish Hockey League, the Isles announced on Friday. The move marks another big shift for Kabanov, a talented prospect that’s had a colorful past -- to say the least (see here and here and here).
The 21-year-old skill forward made his North American professional debut last season, scoring nine points in 32 games for AHL Bridgeport. This year, he’s split time between Bridgeport and the Isles’ ECHL affiliate in Stockton.
It’ll be interesting to see if the time spent playing in Sweden will revive his NHL chances. For all the off-ice drama, Kabanov is a very talented scorer that put up 55 points in 50 games for QMJHL Shawinigan in 2011-12, one point less that ex-Cataractes teammate and current Montreal rookie Michael Bournival. He also helped the Cataractes win the Memorial Cup that season.