Prospect Info: 2018 NHL Draft / Pick #9 - Vitali Kravtsov (RW) - Part VI

[GeorgeKaplan]

ehhh

the thing is that at the NHL level sure it's great to carry the puck into the zone with possession, but teams also specifically gameplan for you to try to do that so they can create a turnover and counter attack (maybe not the Rangers lol but other teams with their **** together)

Thing is if you see the other team stacked up across their blueline then the point is to not try to dipsy doodle through everyone and lose the puck most of the time, it's to instead get the puck deep and retrieve it.
If the chance to carry it across with possession is there then that's fine but I think young/rookie players especially from other leagues have to learn when to dump it and when to carry it rather than always be trying to make a big play at the blueline.

Like, this has been a thing in the NHL for years and years and years. No team wants to see their players turning pucks over at the blueline all the time because they're constantly trying for low percentage plays.

Skilled players like Panarin and Zibanejad etc still make it work just fine. The point is teaching players when it's OK and when it's not. That's all.

If Kravtsov has a problem with that then he's still going to struggle to break into the NHL until he either becomes the best player in the NHL who can dispy doodle over the blueline every time, or he learns when to do it and when not to.

It was only last year where everyone was complaining about Chytil trying to stick handle through players.

This whole thing can be looked at two ways:
They’re not letting him play to his strengths
Or
They’re trying to strengthen his weak spots

 

[Gardner McKay]

I'm sorry but I call bull****. If this were the case, someone covering either the Rangers or Hartford would have reported this out already.

Too much faith.

Cesar is really good when it comes to all things KHL related.

You give our beat writers WAY to much credit

They are the laziest group in the league

Too little faith.

There is minimal to no objective evidence of them being lazy.

 

[Levitate]

I'd be more interested in their source. either it's someone watching some games and making up a scenario (possible..they see Kravtsov get a talking to on the bench after not dumping the puck, etc) or Kravtsov talked to some reporters (seems less likely) or Kravtsov talked to his family/friends who then talked to reporters (seems more plausible) which means somewhat secondhand info perhaps without necessary context.

Because it's extremely unlikely that the Rangers/Wolfpack gave out some info to a foreign sports news service just off the cuff there

 

[effen]

ngl some of y'alls reactions to coaching are ridiculous.

he's 19 and is probably bad at dump and chase and is being given reps and explicit direction to something very prevalent at the NHL level.

if he cant deal with that direction for 2 weeks it's an alarm bell for HIM, not the org.

 

[romba]

I haven't been watching him but he likely is having trouble picking his spots to dangle through the blue line so the coaches are telling him forget dangling for now, just focus on dump ins or getting speed at the blue line to chase it when his teamates dump it in. He's dangled his whole life successfully and the KHL transition game is a step behind the NHLs so the mistakes were less harmful. This makes it very difficult to realize that it working 25% of the time (just for an example) is not worthwhile from a team perspective. I think it would be very helpful if a vet (NOT a coach as they are now 'the bad guys'), preferably a Russian, would have a nice convo with him about his difficulties, the coaches perspective, and how to make it work for both him and the team.

 

[Caser]

I'm sorry but I call bull****. If this were the case, someone covering either the Rangers or Hartford would have reported this out already.

Well, unfortunately noone so far is really reporting anything else explaining why he isn't playing much.

Too much faith.

Cesar is really good when it comes to all things KHL related.

Definitely shouldn't have a lot of trust in me either as I'm basically just translating what I've heard. For those, who understand Russian, here's the link to exact moment when Eronko and other Sport-Express guys are discussing it: link

 

[Harbour Dog]

I really hope this isn't true. We are still basically just going by what Eronko is saying.

 

[Leetch3]

I highly doubt they are telling him to dump and chase because they don't want him to play with skill...its probably more about recognizing situations when you can't stick handle thru guys at the nhl level. there are things that guys can get away with purely on skill in lesser leagues that in the NHL will result in blueline turnovers and getting plastered by dmen...

once the kid learns to recognize the difference and know when to make a skill move and when to make the safe play, then you let him loose to be more creative cause you have developed a level of trust that he know understands different situations.

 

[kovazub94]

Honestly i'd rather just him go back to the KHL if that's true. What a disgrace. Scratching a guy because he is playing to his strengths, give me a ****ing break.

It's not this black and white. What the coaching staff is trying to accomplish is to teach Kravtsov to recognize "variables" and do the right thing in a specific situation. @Levitate example of getting the puck over the blue line is good one to recognize what's a better play (statistically if you will) given what opponent is showing. If they fall back recognizing his speed - carry the puck. If they stuck it up surrounding the carrier - it's better to dump and retrieve it. This is another example where teaching / learning is more important than a team's results or Kravtsov's points total at this stage.

So in this case I have a totally different take - front office and coaching staff care more about Kravtsov's development than his AHL stats.

 

[RangersFan1994]

if they are teaching Kravtsov when to dump and chase and when to dangle and the different scenarios when to do so, then I have no problem with him getting taught but to scratch him is kinda tough love. show him some videos of when to do so would be more helpful and in practice should help with this.

 

[Rangers in 7]

if they are teaching Kravtsov when to dump and chase and when to dangle and the different scenarios when to do so, then I have no problem with him getting taught but to scratch him is kinda tough love. show him some videos of when to do so would be more helpful and in practice should help with this.

i dont think scratching a 19 year old in his first pro season in north america is such a bad thing

 

[Caser]

Btw, is anyone here able to watch the AHL games and provide some report on Kravtsov's usage, icetime, linemates etc. ?

 

[Inferno]

Kravtsov leaving after a few games because he does t want to do what the coach asks him to do is about a crap love as there is.

He's your coach...If your coach asks you to dump the puck in... That's what you do.

 

[Lua]

I can't fathom why anyone would be upset at the coaching staff for trying to get VK to dump the puck. We all watched him in the preseason. His decision making with the puck was straight up unacceptable. That dangle-first mindset needs to be exorcized.

Look at any of the best players in the world. They don't succeed and produce because they're stickhandling through 3 players while beelining for the net. They succeed because they make the right play in the right context.

 

[Pawnee Rangers]

Trying to teach a kid when to dump and change and when to hold on to the puck and make a play. Absolute anarchy. What a terrible organization. I guess another season of dangling in the KHL is what he needs.

Too much faith.

Cesar is really good when it comes to all things KHL related.
.

I'm not doubting Cesar, I'm doubting the reporters covering the KHL.

 

[NYRFANMANI]

I'm so freaking fed up on the dump and chase style. Like Kravtsov is the ideal guy to carry it in, but noooo. This is Rongos country.

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

Today there was a stream on youtube by the Sport-Express guys and if I understood correctly, the issue is that Wolfpack coach asks Kravtsov to go for a good ol' dump-and-chase all the time, which just isn't Kravtsov. They told that even that assist he earned caused criticism from the coach as he was supposed to just dump the puck in in that situation.

If that’s true that is an enormous problem. Need a Pack reporter on this.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Kravtsov leaving after a few games because he does t want to do what the coach asks him to do is about a crap love as there is.

He's your coach...If your coach asks you to dump the puck in... That's what you do.

How is he suppose to do what the coach tells him if he scratches him the very next game after being told what needs to improve? Seems like a great way to piss a player over without giving him much of a chance to improve on something.

Reminds me of the Renney(or torts? I dont remember) days when we had a rookie out there who played great for 10 shifts, then he had a 1 bad shift and saw the bench the rest of the period. Then he was petrified the rest of the game not to mess up and played worse or a game far below what they were capable of.

 

[Lua]

I'm so freaking fed up on the dump and chase style. Like Kravtsov is the ideal guy to carry it in, but noooo. This is Rongos country.

I haven't watched any AHL but in the preseason he didn't show he can carry the puck in without turning it over.

 

[Inferno]

I'm so freaking fed up on the dump and chase style. Like Kravtsov is the ideal guy to carry it in, but noooo. This is Rongos country.

What kravtsov does is skate it in....pull the puck between his legs and try to dangle the defenseman....and turn it over... He did it like 15 times in the preseason and in traverse City.

He needs to learn some dump and Chase to be honest.

 

[Inferno]

How is he suppose to do what the coach tells him if he scratches him the very next game after being told what needs to improve? Seems like a great way to piss a player over without giving him much of a chance to improve on something.

Reminds me of the Renney(or torts? I dont remember) days when we had a rookie out there who played great for 10 shifts, then he had a 1 bad shift and saw the bench the rest of the game.

Maybe to give him a birds eye view of how he wants it done was the intention?

You act as if he's the first player or the first coach to have this happen....I have no problem with it.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Maybe to give him a birds eye view of how he wants it done was the intention?

You act as if he's the first player or the first coach to have this happen....I have no problem with it.

Not sure if your tune will change if he jumps ship and heads back to the KHL wondering if he will ever return.

 

[Pawnee Rangers]

Not sure if your tune will change if he jumps ship and heads back to the KHL wondering if he will ever return.

How delicate do you people think this kid is? So worried about offending him or scared he'll bolt back to Russia because the coaches are mean to him. He's 19 and playing his first professional season in NA. The outrage here is hysterical.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

How delicate do you people think this kid is? So worried about offending him or scared he'll bolt back to Russia because the coaches are mean to him. He's 19 and playing his first professional season in NA. The outrage here is hysterical.

Well there is a quote (legit or not) that he is thinking about it..

 

[Inferno]

Not sure if your tune will change if he jumps ship and heads back to the KHL wondering if he will ever return.

Then frankly...hes not a player I want if he's incapable of adjusting to such a small thing and immediately pouts and leaves.

You don't see that as a huge giant gaping red flag?

I was worried about kravtsov the minute @Amazing Kreiderman said that we were going to see dangles we've never seen before... I just knew we were in for a rough time.

Guys used to dangling through everyone often have trouble adapting to the game when those options aren't there.