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

[aufheben]

Wait he’s coming back to Hartford now?

 

[Levitate]

This kid is going to turn it around, I'm sure but I don't believe he is going to get a call up this season (maybe a game or two if he plays well just as a taste).

The organisation has a good thing going in Hartford and if I were in charge my plan would be to work with Kravtsov in isolation, don't put the spotlight on him just yet and prep him for a good camp next season.

He'll get a call up if his play warrants it. If it doesn't, then he'll stay in Hartford. He can also still have a good season in Hartford without getting a call up if there's no good place for him in NY or if there are some things he's still working on

 

[duhmetreE]

Kucherov? He played 17 games is in AHL. How is he a product of AHL development?

Maybe that's all he needs.

 

[kovazub94]

Sure. Maybe I misunderstood his post but he was speaking about preparing next year's camp as if the team had already decided he wouldn't make the NHL club this year. Which would be a terrible approach. But I may have just misinterpreted.

Nope, That’s how I read that post too and I agree with your take. Reset shouldn’t imply conditions that basically says that even if Kravtsov proofs to be ready for an NHL opportunity we will not give him a chance to play for the Rangers this year because of what happened in November and early December.

Even if unlikely IMHO (some think it actually a possibility) why would the Rangers discourage the kid like this? In good faith the reset literally means getting back to a prior point which in this case should be right before Kravtsov originally left HFD.

 

[Crease]

Wait he’s coming back to Hartford now?

They should send him down to Maine to complete the global tour.

 

[aufheben]

Well this is a relief.

 

[aufheben]

They should send him down to Maine to complete the global tour.

Swamp Rabbits. Are the Swamp Rabbits still a thing? What a logo.

 

[nyr2k2]

Swamp Rabbits. Are the Swamp Rabbits still a thing? What a logo.

They're still a thing. Still have the awesome logo where the rabbit is holding a hockey stick that's a carrot.

 

[aufheben]

They're still a thing. Still have the awesome logo where the rabbit is holding a hockey stick that's a carrot.

Thank God.

 

[ColonialsHockey10]

Still really really surprised at how odd this entire situation has been.

I’m picturing Krav coming back to NY essentially with his tail between his legs, which is a good thing I think. NYR should spend serious time working with him to get his confidence up. He’s a great player when he’s got his swagger.

Also, I’ve got to say that the Rangers come out looking pretty good here. I was vocal about how I felt they deserved partial blame for the initial situation, and still feel that way. But they’ve kept their mouths shut, didn’t make a scene (at least publicly) and they got what they wanted in the end. Just don’t screw it up a second time!

 

[BKGooner]

Perfect life coach for Krav is Nemchinov. His daughter already works for the team and he was a consumate pro. Much rather see the guy whose nickname is sarge giving advice to a player who's attitude is coming under scrutiny than a guy who thought punishment shifts were rewards. Love Kovalev but let's hope Krav plays like AK27 and works like Nemchinov. Also, with the way Hartford is playing maybe Krav can get built up almost as fast as he was torn down. He's certainly talented enough. Plus, I've heard winter bus rides in the Northeast are much nicer than ones through the Urals.

 

[Zine]

From a Russian standpoint this as a disaster. We want what’s best for our players.
Yet Kravtsov is being i influenced by NYR to go to the AHL, which is a complete shit show; a place that hasn't developed a quality Russian elite forward in 25 years. Sweet Jesus.

Hopefully Kravtsov looks at the bullshit Shestyorkin is putting up with; losing millions by choosing to go to NA and getting buried in AHL even though he’s NHL quality

 

[Harbour Dog]

From a Russian standpoint this as a disaster. We want what’s best for our players.
Yet Kravtsov is being i influenced by NYR to go to the AHL, which is a complete **** show; a place that hasn't developed a quality Russian elite forward in 25 years. Sweet Jesus.

Hopefully Kravtsov looks at the bull**** Shestyorkin is putting up with; losing millions by choosing to go to NA and getting buried in AHL even though he’s NHL quality

You bring a lot of useful information to the board, but your opinions are highly biased and not worth digging through to garner what's useful in them.

 

[SouthernRanger]

From a Russian standpoint this as a disaster. We want what’s best for our players.
Yet Kravtsov is being i influenced by NYR to go to the AHL, which is a complete **** show; a place that hasn't developed a quality Russian elite forward in 25 years. Sweet Jesus.

Hopefully Kravtsov looks at the bull**** Shestyorkin is putting up with; losing millions by choosing to go to NA and getting buried in AHL even though he’s NHL quality

I get why you would say all this under a precedent that the AHL is a bad place to develop players, except I think that presupposition is incorrect. The AHL is a great place to develop NHL ready players and the nationality of the player is irrelevant.

I think the generalisation (if I may go there) is that Russian players prefer to stay in their home country for as long as possible before joining the NHL but what does that have to do with player development? Teams like Detroit and more recently Toronto have had great success with this approach and I believe the Rangers are attempting to follow suit.

 

[Chaels Arms]

From a Russian standpoint this as a disaster. We want what’s best for our players.
Yet Kravtsov is being i influenced by NYR to go to the AHL, which is a complete **** show; a place that hasn't developed a quality Russian elite forward in 25 years. Sweet Jesus.

Hopefully Kravtsov looks at the bull**** Shestyorkin is putting up with; losing millions by choosing to go to NA and getting buried in AHL even though he’s NHL quality

In a few years when Shesterkin is drinking wine on the patio of his penthouse apartment overlooking a small town known as Manhattan while being the starting goalie of an original six franchise in the most competitive hockey league on the planet the bull**** that you reference will be all worth it.

The closest route between two points is a straight line. You want to play for the New York Rangers? Then play for the New York Rangers' farm team.

 

[Zine]

I'm not biased, nor am I generalizing.

Banishing Kravtsov to the AHL is like some 19 year old North American kid going to to the VHL to ‘learn the Russian game’ before his North American style skills are even realized. Completely ridiculous and counterproductive. If he stays too long, he'll become a hybrid of both styles without mastering either.

Let the player marinate his his own environment, develop what he's good at....then, when ready, modify these skills to a different environment. Like Panarin. Like Buchnevich.
This is pretty much the path every top-end Russian forward has taken, unlike the countless Russian scrubs who took the AHL path, many of whom are/were higher draft picks.

 

[SouthernRanger]

I'm not biased, nor am I generalizing.

Banishing Kravtsov to the AHL is like some 19 year old North American kid going to to the VHL to ‘lean the Russian game’ before his North American style skills are even realized. Completely ridiculous and counterproductive If he stays too long, he'll become a hybrid of both styles without mastering either.

Let the player marinate his his own environment, develop what he's good at....then, when ready, modify these skills to a different environment.
This is pretty much the path every top-end Russian forward has taken, unlike the countless Russian scrubs who took the AHL path, many of whom are/were higher draft picks. At least for forwards anyways.

I hear you but I respectfully disagree on the fundamental point. Talent is talent of which Kravtsov has a surplus and he can apply it in the KHL or the AHL, learn and work into being an NHL'er.

Is your opinion that Tarasenko or perhaps Kuznetsov (just off the top of my head) would not have developed into the players they are today if they went the AHL route over the KHL?

Was Kucherov drafted out of the Russian league before going the Junior route? My memory is a bit rusty sorry.

 

[aufheben]

I'm not biased, nor am I generalizing.

Banishing Kravtsov to the AHL is like some 19 year old North American kid going to to the VHL to ‘learn the Russian game’ before his North American style skills are even realized. Completely ridiculous and counterproductive. If he stays too long, he'll become a hybrid of both styles without mastering either.

Let the player marinate his his own environment, develop what he's good at....then, when ready, modify these skills to a different environment. Like Panarin. Like Buchnevich.
This is pretty much the path every top-end Russian forward has taken, unlike the countless Russian scrubs who took the AHL path, many of whom are/were higher draft picks.

Banished to the AHL? The Hartford Wolf Pack literally exists to turn prospects into Rangers.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

This doesn't prove that though. Not to be a pain in the ass but I can't help but point it out.

He coulda been pissed at the NYR, deleted.

Then he coulda been pissed at traktor and done the same while putting up his NYR stuff again to pretend like he was never mad. Who'd be the wiser?

I always preferred to think the way you're thinking but I'm nagged by doubts especially with how this insane season has gone for him so far

I'm not saying he wasns't mad/disappointed. Just that his act of deleting posts after switching teams has not occured 3 times. At least he's consistent about it.

 

[Ola]

You bring a lot of useful information to the board, but your opinions are highly biased and not worth digging through to garner what's useful in them.

I of course get what you mean, but @Zine probably feels the -- exact -- same thing when reading our reactions of Kravy going to the KHL.

Look, what I think it all comes down to is that no matter where Kravy plays, or any prospect plays, its tremendously important that a young kid is put in a position where that kid can succeed and play to his strengths. It doesn't matter if its a young PMD or a skilled winger, no young kid benefits from focusing on developing their weaknesses when they are 18-19 y/o.

Karl Henriksson is a kid in Sweden who is not in a perfect situation. First of all, "his" team, Frölunda, is knee deep in players and have to scratch a vet on most nights. He is too good for the U20. And when he gets loaned to Allsvenskan its to a bit of a struggling club, and like Södertälje is threating him well but he is not "their" player. Its just much less favorable than its for like Nils Lundkvist in Luleå. Everyone knows everyone there. Its small cities to start with. The hockey community isn't super big. Nils first year his uncle, Janne Dragshot, was the captain of the team. He has a second cousin in management. The coaching staff knows his dad. Nils dad is the GM of a rival team (I think?). They will take care of him.

To develop Kravy properly, no matter where he is, I just think it comes down to (i) hard work and (ii) professionalism from everyone involved. And its in this instance things can lack more than we can imagine. Sometimes "hardship" is seen as something these kids have to overcome. Its the same for everyone and players have survived it in the past and they say that it made them stronger, bla bla bla. Its all pure BS. Clear communication. An exact plan that you stick to. And then you execute.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

I of course get what you mean, but @Zine probably feels the -- exact -- same thing when reading our reactions of Kravy going to the KHL.

Look, what I think it all comes down to is that no matter where Kravy plays, or any prospect plays, its tremendously important that a young kid is put in a position where that kid can succeed and play to his strengths. It doesn't matter if its a young PMD or a skilled winger, no young kid benefits from focusing on developing their weaknesses when they are 18-19 y/o.

Karl Henriksson is a kid in Sweden who is not in a perfect situation. First of all, "his" team, Frölunda, is knee deep in players and have to scratch a vet on most nights. He is too good for the U20. And when he gets loaned to Allsvenskan its to a bit of a struggling club, and like Södertälje is threating him well but he is not "their" player. Its just much less favorable than its for like Nils Lundkvist in Luleå. Everyone knows everyone there. Its small cities to start with. The hockey community isn't super big. Nils first year his uncle, Janne Dragshot, was the captain of the team. He has a second cousin in management. The coaching staff knows his dad. Nils dad is the GM of a rival team (I think?). They will take care of him.

To develop Kravy properly, no matter where he is, I just think it comes down to (i) hard work and (ii) professionalism from everyone involved. And its in this instance things can lack more than we can imagine. Sometimes "hardship" is seen as something these kids have to overcome. Its the same for everyone and players have survived it in the past and they say that it made them stronger, bla bla bla. Its all pure BS. Clear communication. An exact plan that you stick to. And then you execute.

Funny story about this: I spoke to his dad in Helsinki last month and he told me about working for his son's rival. He works for Skellefteå since January which leads to fun conversations when they visit his grandpa in Piteå. Due to this, he is no longer able to attend Luleå games so he is limited to CHL and Tre Kronor games to watch his son play. Lundkvist is probably in the best possible environment to develop. Comes from a hockey family, has the support of the organization and came through their own academy.

 

[Ola]

Funny story about this: I spoke to his dad in Helsinki last month and he told me about working for his son's rival. He works for Skellefteå since January which leads to fun conversations when they visit his grandpa in Umeå. Due to this, he is no longer able to attend Luleå games so he is limited to CHL and Tre Kronor games to watch his son play. Lundkvist is probably in the best possible environment to develop. Comes from a hockey family, has the support of the organization and came through their own academy.

Yeah, when it works, its a great environment for kids to develop in. It doesn't always work out perfectly, like with Henriksson right now, I know that we were bugged about how Korpikoski was used in Finland which caused us to rush him over to NA and so forth. But when it works its a hard environment to match.

Its the small things. I've played a ton of games in what used to be called Delfinen, I think its now Coop Arena or something. Its been rebuilt a bit, so I am not 100% how its constructed now. But you basically have an arena for the men's team that can take like 6,200 spectators. Next to that arena you have a separate building with two practice rinks (IIRC), and in between you have all locker-rooms. and a gym and a restaurant. All kids play and practice there from when they are like 7-8 y/o. They have programs where players from the SHL team on a regular basis hops onto the ice with the kids/junior teams to give them some advice. Everyone knows everyone. The atmosphere is great, so many fun characters around the teams. Its just a second home for everyone.

Its fun with Nils dad. There is a real rivalry between those teams (Luleå and Skellefteå). Nils and his dad are originally from Piteå, which is right in between those two cities.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Yeah, when it works, its a great environment for kids to develop in. It doesn't always work out perfectly, like with Henriksson right now, I know that we were bugged about how Korpikoski was used in Finland which caused us to rush him over to NA and so forth. But when it works its a hard environment to match.

Its the small things. I've played a ton of games in what used to be called Delfinen, I think its now Coop Arena or something. Its been rebuilt a bit, so I am not 100% how its constructed now. But you basically have an arena for the men's team that can take like 6,200 spectators. Next to that arena you have a separate building with two practice rinks (IIRC), and in between you have all locker-rooms. and a gym and a restaurant. All kids play and practice there from when they are like 7-8 y/o. They have programs where players from the SHL team on a regular basis hops onto the ice with the kids/junior teams to give them some advice. Everyone knows everyone. The atmosphere is great, so many fun characters around the teams. Its just a second home for everyone.

Its fun with Nils dad. There is a real rivalry between those teams (Luleå and Skellefteå). Nils and his dad are originally from Piteå, which is right in between those two cities.

I was in Luleå last season (March) and that arena is great.

 

[DutchNYR]

It's been like half a day since his return and he hasn't even scored a goal yet. Not even an assist.

Think usekakkorightquinn was right, guys. This kid has no game at all.

 

[BKGooner]

It's been like half a day since his return and he hasn't even scored a goal yet. Not even an assist.

Think usekakkorightquinn was right, guys. This kid has no game at all.

Give the kid a break he has to count all his frequent flyer miles. Maybe he has a map out and is trying to see how he can play a game for a team on every continent.