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

[The Crypto Guy]

6GP / 1G / 1A / 9 SOG / -2

Meanwhile Traktor has lost 5/6 games since he returned. Lol. Should have stuck it out in Hartford.

Yikes. Ranger’s should just recall him back. The relationship is already soured so it can’t hurt anymore than it is

 

[Calad]

Probably the likely scenario. Also shows an absurd amount of entitlement and arrogance from a young player. And that's worrisome.

Yeah, it could be an issue. But seeing how he's 19 years old and all the other factors involved, I'm not worried yet.

 

[aufheben]

Yikes. Ranger’s should just recall him back. The relationship is already soured so it can’t hurt anymore than it is

I don’t assume that it’s been soured without proof. Even if it has, he’ll have the space this year to get over it.

 

[Zine]

While my problems with Kravtsov and how he responded to everything wouldn't change, but my feelings on his KHL stint would change if he weren't playing for a toxic waste dump in Traktor. I mean ****, they have 8 wins and 53 goals in 31 games. Their top scorers all have 11 points in 25-30 games. It's a horrible situation there. If he played for a respectable team, I'd be more optimistic about him taking positive strides for the season.

Who cares if Traktor sucks as long as Kravtsov receives ice time and responsibility. Or would you rather him play 3rd line minutes on CSKA?

Despite their current KHL record, Traktor is a good developmental organization who have a fantastic track record of giving young players opportunities. This is not always the case with other KHL teams. They’ve had a hand in developing some really good Russian players over the years.

 

[aufheben]

How much ice time is he getting? 2nd line? 1PP?

 

[Gordon Bombay]

We need 2 Kravtsov threads. One to talk about his play and one to talk about how he's ruined.

 

[Zine]

I don’t assume that it’s been soured without proof. Even if it has, he’ll have the space this year to get over it.

From his interviews it doesn't sound as if the relationship has souredat least on his part.

I just think Kravtsov came to realize what most other established KHLers do also, is that the AHL is miserable place compared to the KHL. It’s no secret most Russians don't care to spend too much time there.
That he didn’t try to gut it out for a year is a bit concerning though.

 

[UnSandvich]

I'm sure that's part of it. Still, he's a professional athlete. He toured all over Russia and other countries playing professional hockey. He may have been in a new culture here, but you kind of expect kids to make an adjustment. It's not exactly uncommon for teenagers to leave their countries and come to North America to play hockey. I know everyone is different, but still. "Having to adjust" was surely a foreseeable requirement of coming here.

I've sure he's making at least a couple hundred thousand over there. As opposed to $70k in the AHL. Still, if he want to make the real big bucks, he's gotta come to NA and learn to play here and become a quality NHL player. Then he'll really be earning serious dough. Short term loss for long term gain. Shesterkin could be making many multiples of his AHL salary. But he knows if he makes it in the NHL, he'll make a boatload more than he could anywhere else.

idk if someone has mentioned this yet (if so i apologize, but I'm not going to read through multiple pages of whining looking for it), but he'd be making $70k BEFORE taxes, in one of the higher taxed areas of America. As opposed to however much he's making in Russia, presumably (but not definitely) paying less taxes.

 

[aufheben]

From his interviews it doesn't sound as if the relationship has souredat least on his part.

I just think Kravtsov came to realize what most other established KHLers do also, is that the AHL is miserable place compared to the KHL. It’s no secret most Russians don't care to spend too much time there.
That he didn’t try to gut it out for a year is a bit concerning though.

If it hasn’t soured for a kid, I don’t imagine it has soured for a group of adults either. I’m sure that part is fine, I just think he should have stuck it out in Hartford.

 

[kovazub94]

This situation with Kravtsov obviously didn't developed as the organization and he himself had been planning it out before the season started. From pretty much all perspectives going back to Traktor was not a good move on Kravtsov's part but here we are.

So what now? I'm hoping that the organization doesn't hold grudges (as well as the the prospect) . It's totally irrelevant at this point to look back (other than to learn from mistakes and not repeat them in the future) to see who was right and who's wrong. Kid needs guidance. I'm hoping that Bobrov himself is closely monitoring situation not from afar, but actually is in a personal contact with Kravtsov to help him figure it out and, most importantly, to show that the Rangers organization is still in his corner. It would be stupid to further deteriorate the situation with a highly touted prospect because of grudges over being immature at 19 years old.

 

[Bob Richards]

I don't think the Rangers are going to self sabotage a prized prospect out of spite nor do I think Kravtsov is throwing hatchets at pictures of Quinn back in Russia.

 

[Ghost of jas]

I don't think the Rangers are going to self sabotage a prized prospect out of spite nor do I think Kravtsov is throwing hatchets at pictures of Quinn back in Russia.

What kind of ‘hair-on-fire’ hot take is this?

 

[nyr2k2]

idk if someone has mentioned this yet (if so i apologize, but I'm not going to read through multiple pages of whining looking for it), but he'd be making $70k BEFORE taxes, in one of the higher taxed areas of America. As opposed to however much he's making in Russia, presumably (but not definitely) paying less taxes.

Yep it's definitely an issue. However, it's something that tons of guys have to go through, as most players spend at least a year in the AHL. They do get per diems and apartments/houses (the latter if they're married), travel, plus other expenses paid for. Not that it comes out to a huge amount, but it basically makes is so that you don't have to spend much if any of your actual salary.

Again, though--if you want to make the big bucks then you have to tough out that first year or two. If he spent this year getting himself ready and even seeing some NHL games, he could have conceivably spent the entirety of next season in the NHL where he would have made up all his lost money for this season a couple times over. Now, he may have just hit the reset button for next season. Maybe not. We'll see.

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

I actually heard someone say that it was the Rangers' fault because they should have put him in the NHL. 1 shot on goal in 5 AHL games, and he should be moved to the next level. I hope someone else teaches that guy's kids how to swim.

Drank something so I could spit take laugh. The implication...

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

The lack of effort and his cluelessness in the ahl is what disturbs me the most. If he had busted his ass but decided not to do the whole bus thing while pissing away hundreds of thousands of khl bucks, fine. He looks like he legit quit and pouted. Then he chooses traktor to return to? Hope that wasnt his choice.

 

[eco's bones]

He had a good year last year in the KHL--was really good at the WJC's.....was really good at Traverse and he was very good at training camp. His few games in Hartford did not seem to go well. If he's playing for Chelyabinsk it's probably because 1) they own his KHL rights 2) he was brought up in the Chelyabinsk system and I think he grew up there besides. So if he's playing in Russia it makes sense that's the place he'd be playing. I don't make much of that.

This is what I think though--he might have thought he was ready to North America but he wasn't really mentally ready. It's a big jump for a teenager and some like Kakko will make the jump easier than others and FWIW even Kakko was having issues a couple weeks ago. It's hard for some. So I'm kind of in the laying off of Kravtsov lane. At least for now. There's time for him to grow stronger physically and emotionally.

 

[usekakkorightquinn]

I get rid of this guy at all costs. People better start waking up to the fact that Zibanejad is out with a concussion the Rangers are hiding. It would be his 6th I believe. You aren't gambling on a player long term with that. You also shouldn't expect much going forward with his history as far as durability. That means the Rangers are going to need a number 1, center prospect. DeAngelo IMO is going to get dealt whether people like it here or not. Trouba isn't going anywhere. They love Fox and Lundkvist unlike DeAngelo actually knows how to play defense consistently. If DeAngelo is sitting there with 50 points at the deadline his value will be very high and they can package him with Kravtsov for that young, number 1 center prospect. A different way to go would be Hertl. He's averaging about a PPG and he's 56% on draws. San Jose stinks and needs to start the rebuild. I think if you offer something like DeAngelo, Kravtsov and Georgiev that should get it done. That would then allow them to move Jones to a team that needs goalie help and is a contender. Edmonton comes to mind. Koskinen stinks and Smith isn't the answer. They could take a prospect and Koskinen back to make the money work.

Me, I'd go after Hertl. He's 25. I can't trust Zibanejad going forward.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

I get rid of this guy at all costs. People better start waking up to the fact that Zibanejad is out with a concussion the Rangers are hiding. It would be his 6th I believe. You aren't gambling on a player long term with that. You also shouldn't expect much going forward with his history as far as durability. That means the Rangers are going to need a number 1, center prospect. DeAngelo IMO is going to get dealt whether people like it here or not. Trouba isn't going anywhere. They love Fox and Lundkvist unlike DeAngelo actually knows how to play defense consistently. If DeAngelo is sitting there with 50 points at the deadline his value will be very high and they can package him with Kravtsov for that young, number 1 center prospect. A different way to go would be Hertl. He's averaging about a PPG and he's 56% on draws. San Jose stinks and needs to start the rebuild. I think if you offer something like DeAngelo, Kravtsov and Georgiev that should get it done. That would then allow them to move Jones to a team that needs goalie help and is a contender. Edmonton comes to mind. Koskinen stinks and Smith isn't the answer. They could take a prospect and Koskinen back to make the money work.

Me, I'd go after Hertl. He's 25. I can't trust Zibanejad going forward.

I must have missed when he made the NHL and has been playing respectable defense.

 

[NYR Viper]

Yep it's definitely an issue. However, it's something that tons of guys have to go through, as most players spend at least a year in the AHL. They do get per diems and apartments/houses (the latter if they're married), travel, plus other expenses paid for. Not that it comes out to a huge amount, but it basically makes is so that you don't have to spend much if any of your actual salary.

Again, though--if you want to make the big bucks then you have to tough out that first year or two. If he spent this year getting himself ready and even seeing some NHL games, he could have conceivably spent the entirety of next season in the NHL where he would have made up all his lost money for this season a couple times over. Now, he may have just hit the reset button for next season. Maybe not. We'll see.

while this seems to be accurate for some as a pathway to the NHL, it’s been proven many times over that many young players do not need to spend any time in the AHL.

Again, if Kravtsov was playing in the German Elite League I could see some of the fear but he’s playing in the second best league in the world. If we take the emotional aspect out of it, him going to the KHL for their season is actually BETTER experience as far as quality of competition.

 

[nyr2k2]

while this seems to be accurate for some as a pathway to the NHL, it’s been proven many times over that many young players do not need to spend any time in the AHL.

Again, if Kravtsov was playing in the German Elite League I could see some of the fear but he’s playing in the second best league in the world. If we take the emotional aspect out of it, him going to the KHL for their season is actually BETTER experience as far as quality of competition.

That's why I said MOST players need to spend a year in the AHL. Kravtsov would apparently be included in that group at this time, no different than a kid leaving junior hockey or something.

As far as the QoC, we've been down that path. The top of the KHL is clearly a step up in competition from the AHL. The middle of that league is more in line with good AHL teams. The bottom of the KHL, the teams that struggle to make payroll, they're not substantially better than an AHL team, IMO. Like I'd take Hartford in a best-of-seven over Traktor. So some of it is beneficial, some of it is just breaking even.

And even then, the QoC discussion still ignores that the game is played differently there, stylistically. Slower and with more open space. Less physical. And those are the things that he needed to adjust to; I think he has the talent that a step up in QoC should be manageable if he learns what he has to do differently.

But my point was just in response to the financial aspects of playing this year in the AHL vs playing in the KHL for Kravtsov. And I think the underlying point is true, that if you want to make big money you need to stick it out (whatever that means for any prospect) until you make it as an NHL contributor. Then you start bringing in those seven-figure salaries that you don't find many other places.

 

[Bleed Ranger Blue]

Yeah, it could be an issue. But seeing how he's 19 years old and all the other factors involved, I'm not worried yet.

that’s an answer if he was trying to stick it out but struggling in Hartford.

The whole issue, the one we should all be at least a little concerned about, is he made zero effort to stick it out.

 

[Brooklyn Ranger]

As I've written several times before, what happens this year really isn't important anymore: What happens come training camp next year matters. Until then it's all hypothetical--perfect fodder for 10 or 12 more threads about him.

 

[nyr2k2]

As I've written several times before, what happens this year really isn't important anymore: What happens come training camp next year matters. Until then it's all hypothetical--perfect fodder for 10 or 12 more threads about him.

It is important, though. This is still a year where he can develop. If he takes to heart the critiques of his game provided by NYR and works on it, then that's great. If he works on preparing himself for life on North America and tries to develop some sort of support system here, that's great. It doesn't have to be a wash.

Conversely, if he decides he just needs to learn to dangle better to be successful, and doesn't put much thought into acclimating next year and what that will take, then it's a problem.

It's true that what he does next year is what ultimately matters, but there's a lot that can be done this season to impact next year, either positively or negatively.

 

[Chytilmania]

He can come back to NA at the end of February. You guys are really blowing this up.

 

[wafflepadsave]

I don't think the Rangers are going to self sabotage a prized prospect out of spite nor do I think Kravtsov is throwing hatchets at pictures of Quinn back in Russia.

Rumors are that lias is though.