Isles handling Kabanov the right way.

           After Kirill Kabanov was disciplined again in the early stages of training camp there have been people saying that he doesn't deserve to be in camp and that he should be sent back to juniors immediately.  I disagree with both statements and here is why.  He is immature and he needs a lot of growing to do.  I don't think anyone would disagree with that, but how to handle him is something else.  Staying in training camp and facing discipline for his immature mistakes is the way to go.  The Islanders could gain quite a bit by molding this young athlete into the kind of player the team wants.  Having him spend his time with the team learning exactly what it will take to make the team and learning from guys like Doug Weight, Kyle Okposo, and Rick DiPietro can be nothing but a positive for the team and maybe he goes to juniors at the end of camp with a little more of a positive attitude and the knowledge that he needs to grow up to play in the greatest hockey league in the world, and maybe a little more respect from his junior teammates who will see him as someone who made it through an NHL training camp and not the guy who can't stay on a team.  

            If he is sent back to juniors early he is going in one a bad note to his teammates, who can trust him to stay and work hard if they see he couldn't take an NHL camp serious enough.  The progression of this player means more to the Isles than for a junior squad.  The Islanders would gain greatly if he matures into a great player in a few years, not Moncton, who don't gain anything if he can't produce and be a valuable member of the team immediately.  They would sooner cut ties than work three times as hard to develop him and not reap the rewards. 

            There is no doubt he has the talent to be a great player in the future, and that is why I think the Isles are doing the right thing, if this training camp wakes him up and guys like Weight can show him the right path then they may be looking at a future star in this league.  If he can't pull it together after spending a few weeks getting a taste of what could be his future then maybe there is no hope for him.