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

[romba]

I'll respectively disagree on Kakko here and leave it at that.

Reading through, I tend to think we're talking more about the difference between a generational talent and a star, but it's not a rabbit hole I want to go down. =)

Looking at past indicators, I think 30 goals and 90 points is very much in the eventual cross hairs from Kakko.

Lol ya just couldn't help yourself!

 

[Maximus]

This is Kravtsov thread? ; )

As I said before - absolutely no expectations from the first game given where Kravtsov was coming from the last couple of months and recent cross pond travel. Actually surprised that he was in the lineup in the first place, probably upcoming Christmas break with no games from Saturday til next Friday had something to do with it. Now I'm just looking for a progression, not even a game-to-game but week-to-week.

Too funny...your right. I forgot and thought we were in the Kakko thread...lol

As far as Kravtsov. I was hoping he was going to be the "Kuznetsov" to Kakko's "Ovechkin" and I still feel fairly confident about Kravtsov going foward and think he's a big part of our future.

I'd be lying tho if I didn't say I wasn't thrown for a loop with how poorly he performed in training camp and needed to be sent down justifiiably. I'd like to think Gorton, JD know what they are doing with him and that when he comes back next year, he'll be a different guy in camp and make the team and play a significant role.

Kravstsov is another guy just like Kakko who absolutely needs to get some major power skating training and and intense offseason workout regimen that will help his stamina also. I went to a pre season game here down in Philly and Kravtsov could barely keep up with his linemates as his skating needs some serious work kind of like Kakko ironically.
Once again...only time will tell.

 

[Kovalev27]

I just watched Kravtsov’s game last night and posted my thoughts in the Hartford thread but if he plays like that going forward this will all have been for the best and he’ll be in the NHL in no time. He was very good. Not ok. He was very good. Skated well, made a lot of strong small ice plays, back checked hard, set up teammates, had a few chances of his own. He was one of if not the best forward on the ice for the Pack. When he was elevated to the top line he really started to feel it. Can’t wait to see how he looks tonight.

 

[Edge]

Lol ya just couldn't help yourself!

I try, I really do. I promise.

It's just so hard to walk away from a good hockey discussion sometimes.

 

[CasusBelli]

I just watched Kravtsov’s game last night and posted my thoughts in the Hartford thread but if he plays like that going forward this will all have been for the best and he’ll be in the NHL in no time. He was very good. Not ok. He was very good. Skated well, made a lot of strong small ice plays, back checked hard, set up teammates, had a few chances of his own. He was one of if not the best forward on the ice for the Pack. When he was elevated to the top line he really started to feel it. Can’t wait to see how he looks tonight.

Good to see him show commitment and mental fortitude. Just keep working hard and the chance will come. No doubt about that.

 

[CasusBelli]

If one of Chytil, Kravtsov, Kakko succeeds, I'll be satisfied.
If two of Chytil, Kravtsov, Kakko succeed, I'll be thrilled.
If three of Chytil, Kravtsov, Kakko succeed, I'll... faint.

To be honest, I was expecting (going into this season) they would develop into regular 60, 70 and 90 point players, respectively.

 

[Shesterkybomb]

Kravtsov is gonna be a good player, he is a kid who is trying to navigate his career while learning the ups and downs of getting to the nhl. I'd wager this was the first time he never made a team he tried out for.

 

[romba]

I just watched Kravtsov’s game last night and posted my thoughts in the Hartford thread but if he plays like that going forward this will all have been for the best and he’ll be in the NHL in no time. He was very good. Not ok. He was very good. Skated well, made a lot of strong small ice plays, back checked hard, set up teammates, had a few chances of his own. He was one of if not the best forward on the ice for the Pack. When he was elevated to the top line he really started to feel it. Can’t wait to see how he looks tonight.

Thanks for taking a closer look, much appreciated!

 

[CasusBelli]

How do you start playing at NHL level, get the flu, then forget how to play at the NHL level? It's just baffling.

Hard to regain conditioning halfway through the season when you didn’t have it to begin with.

 

[romba]

Kravtsov is gonna be a good player, he is a kid who is trying to navigate his career while learning the ups and downs of getting to the nhl. I'd wager this was the first time he never made a team he tried out for.

Perhaps first real adversity in his entire life. If he can get past this quickly I will be very impressed.

What's the Rocky quote? "You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward; how much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done!"

edit: credit Alan Hahn show for the Rocky quote lol, love his show intro

 

[romba]

Hard to regain conditioning halfway through the season when you didn’t have it to begin with.

Yea his conditioning was questionable to begin with. Then getting hit the real flu (not the BS 2 day headcold teams call the flu for some reason) really knocks you out, you lose weight and strength, it's tough even for established players to come back full force from it, let alone an 18 yr old struggling with confidence and conditioning to begin with.

 

[will1066]

Perhaps first real adversity in his entire life. If he can get past this quickly I will be very impressed.

What's the Rocky quote? "You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward; how much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done!"

Or, the Killswitch Engage song "Unbroken":

Through adversity, there is redemption
With passion, fighting
I am unbroken
Through adversity, there is redemption
With passion, fighting
I am, unbroken

The absence of fear
Is the renewal of our self
The absence of doubt
Breeds desire
If there is truth to face
I will design it
I will not be denied!

 

[Kovalev27]

Perhaps first real adversity in his entire life. If he can get past this quickly I will be very impressed.

What's the Rocky quote? "You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard you hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward; how much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done!"

I said it a few days ago but everyone needs to get knocked on their ass at some point to get to where they want to be. This was his first fall off the horse in his life. He didn’t handle it well. But hopefully he’s learned from it. What I saw last night like I said you’d never know he was just playing in the friggen VHL.

He looks like a kid on his way.

 

[Edge]

I said it a few days ago but everyone needs to get knocked on their ass at some point to get to where they want to be. This was his first fall off the horse in his life. He didn’t handle it well. But hopefully he’s learned from it. What I saw last night like I said you’d never know he was just playing in the friggen VHL.

He looks like a kid on his way.

He has the opportunity to learn more from his struggles this year than he could've had everything been a success. The past is done, now he has to move forward and apply what he's learned.

 

[Kovalev27]

6’3 170 lbs. he’s got the opportunity to put on 25 30 lbs of muscle at least over the next couple years if he works hard. That’s quite the gap between height and pounds.

 

[nyr2k2]

6’3 170 lbs. he’s got the opportunity to put on 25 30 lbs of muscle at least over the next couple years if he works hard. That’s quite the gap between height and pounds.

Need @Beacon to come tell us that's only possible with steroids.

 

[Levitate]

Good to hear that he had a pretty solid first game back. I'll be fascinated to hear the inevitable interviews and "leaks" about how all this went down. That said if he comes back and performs well and maybe earns a callup, it's all water under the bridge

 

[TominNC]

Thought he had a really rough first period. I was admittedly in and out of the game once it became a blowout but he seemed much more engaged in the 3rd period especially when they started shuffling line combinations. Considering it’s his first game back, the entire team was an atrocity, and he improved as the game went on, I think you have to be happy with how it went.

As an aside, he didn’t appear to be on either PP unit.

Pretty sure he had some PP2 time as the game went on

 

[TominNC]

You standards are too high. Messier had one 40+ goal season for the Rangers and Gartner had just one 80+ point season

Actually Ratelle might be the only guy to go 40+ 40+ 80+ more than once as a Ranger

 

[CasusBelli]

You standards are too high. Messier had one 40+ goal season for the Rangers and Gartner had just one 80+ point season

Actually Ratelle might be the only guy to go 40+ 40+ 80+ more than once as a Ranger

Different times. Scoring is much higher these days than it was during the 90s — the aptly named “dead pucks era.”

 

[Tawnos]

Different times. Scoring is much higher these days than it was during the 90s — the aptly named “dead pucks era.”

Thats just the late 90s. Gartner certainly wasn’t here for that. Messier was barely here for that.

I believe the NHL record for number of 100-point scorers in the league came in 92-93.

 

[Maximus]

You standards are too high. Messier had one 40+ goal season for the Rangers and Gartner had just one 80+ point season

Actually Ratelle might be the only guy to go 40+ 40+ 80+ more than once as a Ranger

Bottom line and reason I even brought it up is unlike other teams who seem to have had numerous players in their history who have had 40-40 type of seasons, Rangers don't have all that many.

Only guys I could come up with were Messier, Jagr, Ratelle, Gilbert, Gartner and it looks like Panarin is on pace to doing so.

And so if Kakko eventually does end up that type of player which we all hope he'll eventually become, he'll be a very very rare bird in Ranger history seeing it simply doesn't happen often with us that we have dynamic offensive players...capiche?

 

[Machinehead]

Or, the Killswitch Engage song "Unbroken":

Through adversity, there is redemption
With passion, fighting
I am unbroken
Through adversity, there is redemption
With passion, fighting
I am, unbroken

The absence of fear
Is the renewal of our self
The absence of doubt
Breeds desire
If there is truth to face
I will design it
I will not be denied!

Metal af

 

[Brooklyn Ranger]

This is Kravtsov thread? ; )

As I said before - absolutely no expectations from the first game given where Kravtsov was coming from the last couple of months and recent cross pond travel. Actually surprised that he was in the lineup in the first place, probably upcoming Christmas break with no games from Saturday til next Friday had something to do with it. Now I'm just looking for a progression, not even a game-to-game but week-to-week.

Honestly, I would have been surprised if Kravtsov wasn't in the lineup as soon as he got there--this is hockey, players play as long as they can skate and shoot the puck--what's a little jet lag compared to some of the things hockey players play through?

Anyway, it's better that he got his "debut" over asap. I think holding him out (regardless of the schedule) would have just added to the anxiety he must be having, given all the crap that has happened over the last two months.

 

[TominNC]

Different times. Scoring is much higher these days than it was during the 90s — the aptly named “dead pucks era.”

I know that. On the other hand, the scoring was high in the 80s. At any rate I was just stating statistical fact.