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

[Leetch3]

problem with Lias was the Howden, problem with Kravtsov is Kakko who was selected a year later and was given games like he belonged in NHL and was never sent down and I think they are both primarily RW fighting for the same spot.

this is such an awful loser mentality imo. its bad enough that fans think its true and repeat it as an excuse for players, but if the young players actually believe it then that doesn't make me hopeful for their future success (i don't know if they do, just saying)....if kravtsov shouldn't be worried about kakko or gauthier, his concern should be what do "I" have to do to get better and force your way on the team. by moping and throwing a tantrum it makes it easy for the team to feel that they made the right decision sending him down...but he has the talent that if he went the other way he could have made them say 'holy crap what were we thinking'

this notion by some fans that the coaches and front office don't want the best players in ny and don't want what is best for the development of each young players is completely assinine.

 

[Harbour Dog]

Judging by the comments here, I'm just going to not read the article and hope that he proves himself NHL ready out of the next regular season training camp.

So much entitlement from two top picks. EARN IT!

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Picture the reaction if the Rangers said to Kravtsov “nah you should stay there for now” and he struggled in the KHL.

Unfortunately, Kravtsov, the Rangers and we the fans likely all overestimated how good he is at this stage of his career.

His point contribution was on par with Kuznetsov in his D+1 season. Kuznetsov ended up playing 3 more years with Traktor after that. Expectations were high but it's not a total surprise that this happened. You can't compare a 19-year old Kravtsov to a 22-year old Kuznetsov and expect similar results

 

[Kakko Schmakko]

I didn't know you speak Russian

I am sure I am not the only one here that can. So easy even Kreider can do it.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

I am sure I am not the only one here that can. So easy even Kreider can do it.

Google Translate doesn't count

 

[NYSPORTS]

I totally agree it is not normal that Europeans come to Hartford completely not able to produce and run away, it is not normal how many decent prospects instead of being given more icetime and developed are simply discarded to ECHL.

the kid just turned 20. The kid was praised in the newspapers and it appeared the Rangers adored him. From the big lights of NYC to sitting alone in Hartford. Really? Get the kid a support program and help develop both his game on the ice an emotionally off.

 

[Inferno]

Boy he comes off horrible in that interview.

 

[Kakko Schmakko]

Boy he comes off horrible in that interview.

He comes out ok if you read Russian. But he does seem not take well benching or very limited icetime without any reason/explanation.

 

[Kakko Schmakko]

Judging by the comments here, I'm just going to not read the article and hope that he proves himself NHL ready out of the next regular season training camp.

So much entitlement from two top picks. EARN IT!

I wouldn't say entitlement, more like young kid confused by mixed signals that Rangers/Wolfpack are sending him. My guess he expected better icetime given that he was 9th overall pick.

 

[Leetch3]

His point contribution was on par with Kuznetsov in his D+1 season. Kuznetsov ended up playing 3 more years with Traktor after that. Expectations were high but it's not a total surprise that this happened. You can't compare a 19-year old Kravtsov to a 22-year old Kuznetsov and expect similar results

any parallel drawn between kravtsov and kuznetsov should be about how kuznetsov stayed in russia for 4 more years after being drafted and worked out fine...and not rushing guys to the nhl

 

[Harbour Dog]

I wouldn't say entitlement, more like young kid confused by mixed signals that Rangers/Wolfpack are sending him. My guess he expected better icetime given that he was 9th overall pick.

This is literally entitlement lol

 

[Kakko Schmakko]

This is literally entitlement lol

I meant first he says he got like 5 minutes of icetime in in AHL and then in KHL he had some games where he was benched.

 

[nyr2k2]

He comes out ok if you read Russian. But he does seem not take well benching or very limited icetime without any reason/explanation.

I'm not so sure that he wasn't given a reason or explanation for these things. He seems to literally understand nothing about the situation. It's hard for me to believe that he was never given any explanations. Based on what he has said in this and other interviews, it seems more like he can't process the reasoning or can't reconcile it with his own expectations.

 

[Harbour Dog]

I meant first he says he got like 5 minutes of icetime in in AHL and then in KHL he had some games where he was benched.

I haven't read the article, so I can't comment to any of that.

I just don't think it speaks very well to any pick's character if they are still complaining about not getting a shot in the NHL a year later; when it was clearly never earned.

 

[Kakko Schmakko]

I'm not so sure that he wasn't given a reason or explanation for these things. He seems to literally understand nothing about the situation. It's hard for me to believe that he was never given any explanations. Based on what he has said in this and other interviews, it seems more like he can't process the reasoning or can't reconcile it with his own expectations.

I want my top prospects to get tons of icetime in AHL that is what AHL is for to develop young players. If he sucks or sucks defensively you let him play through it and teach him his mistakes. Rangers seem not to get it.

 

[LORDE]

I wouldn't say entitlement, more like young kid confused by mixed signals that Rangers/Wolfpack are sending him. My guess he expected better icetime given that he was 9th overall pick.

Once the pick is made, it’s over.

After that u have to earn what u become.

We can lament over picks busting but no one in the NHL says “Oh he went 7th overall so I guess I’ll give up more to get him!”

Once they’re drafted, the number they were drafted means zero

 

[B17 Apricots]

The Ranger's have done pretty well over the years letting their kids marinate and master the leagues there in. Having a weak team seems to have gotten them away from that path. They're rushing to get these kids here to play them less than 15 a game on a losing team. And its not necessary, there's no reason they couldn't insulate the young guys they already had with cheap, good veterans. Who knows who they approached or didn't approach, but you had Boyle, Ennis, etc hell even Duclair come in around 1 million. With guys like that floating around there's no reason you have Howden and your 7th OA pick playing 10 minutes a game. Shit even Kakko could've spent a year outside of the league.

 

[Leetch3]

I want my top prospects to get tons of icetime in AHL that is what AHL is for to develop young players. If he sucks or sucks defensively you let him play through it and teach him his mistakes. Rangers seem not to get it.

there is more to developing a young player than just giving them ice time...the prospects that went down and weren't cry babies about it did just fine.

 

[Kakko Schmakko]

I don't know why they rushed Kravtsov to North America instead of letting him marinade and dominate in KHL especially when they did not have much of a roster spot for him and having terrible development at AHL.

I am starting to suspect that the bullying that Lias was referring was coming from the Wolfpack coaching staff.

 

[Synergy27]

This kid should just stay in Russia until he’s good enough to crack the top 6. Keep him happy. Keep him developing his creativity and offense. Fill in the defensive blanks at the NHL level.

The rebuild hinges on this kid making it. He can’t bust.

 

[Kakko Schmakko]

This kid should just stay in Russia until he’s good enough to crack the top 6. Keep him happy. Keep him developing his creativity and offense. Fill in the defensive blanks at the NHL level.

The rebuild hinges on this kid making it. He can’t bust.

But then he is like a lame duck there and they know that he does not have much future there and they don't spend much effort developing him in KHL and will not be looking to give him a lot of good icetime. What they need to do is play him 18 minutes a game in AHL for at least half a season and if this coach refuses then replace him. Other possibility is loan him to a European/non-KHL team because their season will likely start a lot sooner than AHL season.

 

[2014nyr]

not sure what the issue is with this interview? sounds like most of his complaints about things are based on information/quotes that were relayed to him through 3rd parties that left him disappointed with how he was spoken about and he acknowledged he wasn't certain they were fully accurate. have to imagine those things are easily smoothed by JD/Gorton talking directly too him to clarify. seemed to take ownership of the struggles this season and said he was willing to show up and work. only thing i'd take issue with is explicitly saying he doesn't want to play with lemieux, for one because much like he took offense to relayed assessments, he's probably speaking on his limited familiarity with lemieux and more reputation (although i'd guess it may also have something to do with lemieux likely having really given it to him a few times verbally / physically or both during camp and it sticking with him). either way, he's 19. sure the picture isn't as clear as it was this time a year ago, but its far from time to write him off. as disappointing as it was to see him sulk and walk away when he got sent down, it did at least say something that he came back. regardless of what happened in russia, he still had to walk back into a locker room he walked out on in a league he considered beneath him. thats not easy to do

 

[Kakko Schmakko]

JD and Gorton need to do something about Hartford it has to be a good fun place for young prospects, not a place where the players have nervous breakdowns (Kasparaitis, Lias, Lyashenko, etc.) and run off to other leagues.

I was kind of joking when I said he does not want to play with Lemieux. the quote "Не буду говорить, с какими бы партнерами хотел бы сыграть. Это неправильно, да и некрасиво. Но я хотел бы выходить с теми, кто творит на льду. Не просто закидывает шайбу в зону и борется, а играет в хоккей." actually reads "I will not say with which linemates I would like to play with. That would be wrong and not nice/appropriate. But I would like to play with creative players. Not just dump and chase, but plays hockey" To be honest I think it was the worst quote from him in that entire interview.

 

[Kakko Schmakko]

Physically looking at him he needs to hit the gym more. BTW it says he skipped his sister's wedding because Rangers told him to come, I have a feeling he might be pretty pissed after playoffs are over and he did not dress a single game. With so many teams and players in the hub city I doubt they will even get to practice much between games. This could escalate into a Lias like situation really soon. Not sure why they decided to get him to come from half way around the world to be honest.

 

[2014nyr]

JD and Gorton need to do something about Hartford it has to be a good fun place for young prospects, not a place where the players have nervous breakdowns (Kasparaitis, Lias, Lyashenko, etc.) and run off to other leagues.

I was kind of joking when I said he does not want to play with Lemieux. the quote "Не буду говорить, с какими бы партнерами хотел бы сыграть. Это неправильно, да и некрасиво. Но я хотел бы выходить с теми, кто творит на льду. Не просто закидывает шайбу в зону и борется, а играет в хоккей." actually reads "I will not say with which linemates I would like to play with. That would be wrong and not nice/appropriate. But I would like to play with creative players. Not just dump and chase, but plays hockey" To be honest I think it was the worst quote from him in that entire interview.

ah, well as long as no names were dropped it sounds like a pretty reasonable interview all things considered.the biggest thing to me was him saying if it happened here and there, i have to look at myself. trying to read between the lines out of camp, i get the impression he had penciled himself onto the roster, guessing he saw at least a decent amount of media support for that as well to affirm that (not to suggest his or media expectations were off base, i think a lot of people had expectations he was ready for some role). gets a bit tricky here but i think he felt like he got largely positive feedback from the staff and i'm sure he showed some serious flashes ... but where the staff was likely staying positive with a young kid putting in the work and not getting too down on any deficiencies to try and make him comfortable and playing loose, he took it as affirmation of his spot. so when he was sent down he was confused and hurt, not to mention probably feeling embarassed that he was sent down while others in his age bracket were not that he likely felt he was ahead of. to him it was a slap in the face whereas from an org pov it was intended to be "we love what we see in your game, we'd like you to go play a lot of minutes up the road and round out some def areas...possibly acclimate some more to the na surface". but what a kid with his hopes dead set on something, hurt pride, maybe even altering his self worth at the time hears...versus what was said, can be very different.