In Which Russian Media Says Kirill Kabanov is KHL-Bound

As always with these reports, we'll see what's true and what's not. But Dmitry Chesnokov on Twitter (‏@dchesnokov) points to a sports.ru report that Kirill Kabanov is headed to KHL club Salavat Yulaev.

Kabanov, who signed an entry level contract with the New York Islanders last year (which has "slid" once and can "slide" a second year), would be eligible to play in AHL Bridgeport in 2012-13.

In theory, if the Islanders loaned him to the KHL for that year, things would be on the up and up. If it were something without the Islanders' permission though (see below), that would be, ah, not so good.

Reporters who chase these things down are trying to get confirmation -- what, Russian media isn't to be trusted?! -- with Newsday's Arthur Staple eliciting this "news to me" text from GM Garth Snow.

Kabanov's QMJHL club Shawinigan hosts the Memorial Cup later this month. If this report is true -- or even if there's enough lingering uncertainty about its truth or about how any deal went down -- it would make that more of a circus. Which when it comes to Kabanov coverage, is nothing news.