Prospect Info: Vitali Kravtsov: Part IX

[SnowblindNYR]

You don't get room in front of the net like that in the NHL. We all know that he can score in the KHL. I would be more impressed if he dropped the gloves and fought someone like Evgeny Artyukhin or Chris Simon.

I've made similar comments but they're always stupid. You get room like that sometimes you get D-man/goalie errors in the NHL sometimes. NHLers aren't perfect.

 

[TheDirtyH]

Personally, I am thinking he’s going to assume the Kreider role on this team at some point - including the debates about expectations vs. results, scoring streaks, first line vs. second line, etc.

He’ll frustrate and dazzle, and pages will be dedicated to analyzing and sometimes over-analyzing his play.

I expect that too. Also expect that, like Kreider, it will be a long time until the finished product emerges. As analytics has risen to the forefront in player and especially prospect evaluations and projections, the expectations for 'timelines' has changed notably. Too many people buy into a new idea of a player's prime--players are what they are by 24 and are peaking by 27 now. That may be true generally speaking but there are still so many players who take longer to arrive into their most successful and impactful selves.

Kravtsov is a big, rangy winger whose strengths seem to be in transition and his ability to beat defensemen one-on-one, opening ice and opportunities for his linemates. He's got a good shot that doesn't go in as much as you want and that he doesn't use as much as you want. He's a good passer who struggles to generate assists. He's a wonderful skater, but isn't very quick and doesn't stop and start well
I see him as a player worth trying out as a center. He really impressed me at the WJC in that position. I think it forces him to shorten his loops, stay higher in the offensive zone, and can better utilize his abilities in transition as a passer and carrier.

 

[kovazub94]

You don't get room in front of the net like that in the NHL. We all know that he can score in the KHL. I would be more impressed if he dropped the gloves and fought someone like Evgeny Artyukhin or Chris Simon.

No luck, these two are scared of smile-less Kravy

 

[kovazub94]

I've made similar comments but they're always stupid. You get room like that sometimes you get D-man/goalie errors in the NHL sometimes. NHLers aren't perfect.

Apparently Swedish dry humor is a thing.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Apparently Swedish dry humor is a thing.

I guess that was a joke now that I reread it. No one knows Ola as a comedian, they know him is a wet blanket so I was just going by history.

 

[kovazub94]

I guess that was a joke now that I reread it. No one knows Ola as a comedian, they know him is a wet blanket so I was just going by history.

Over years Ola definitely showed his lighter (or “darker” ) side.

 

[nyr2k2]

I've made similar comments but they're always stupid. You get room like that sometimes you get D-man/goalie errors in the NHL sometimes. NHLers aren't perfect.

It's true, NHLers make mistakes all the time. Less so than in other leagues, and by and large when they do make mistakes they are usually quicker to recover or aided by other players who are also more adept at covering for mistakes.

That's why when he's doing north-south things, playing around the net, that's encouraging to me. Him back-checking to break up a 2-on-1, also excellent. When he's doing east-west, lower percentage plays, I'm not really moved. His backhand goal the other day garnered a "neat" reaction from me; it's a low-percentage play in the KHL and a lower percentage play in the NHL. Nice skill. I remember everyone being wowed by Linus Omark's skill (not comparing the two). How does it translate. That's the point.

The guy clearly has the skill to be a very productive offensive player. I really want him over here working on his game in North America. I know some feel the whole "learning the North American game" thing is overblown, and for some guys it is, because they're either really high-IQ players and adapt easily or they already play a game suited for North America. I don't think that Kravtsov falls into either category, so I'd really like to see him here, refining his game and making the adjustments, learning to make the right decision with the puck on his stick, learning how to find space and lanes when it's not on his stick (where everything is more tightly checked and physically contested).

The guy I see today is not totally dissimilar from the guy I saw in Hartford at the end of the season. He was engaged, working hard, getting back, etc. He still was doing too much side-to-side, holding onto the puck too long, that kind of stuff. I want to see him improve on that over here.

 

[Edge]

Geez, silly me simply hoping for Buchnevich level debates.

You gotta dream big, buddy. You gotta dream big!

 

[cmdevisser]

8 goals in 19 games is not a small feat. This (without doing math) would be something like 35 goal per season pace over 82 games.

P.S. 20 goals in the KHL is a bigger milestone than what it is in the NHL. Between a shorter season and lower scoring it’s viewed more like 30 goal season in the NHL.

Totally. It would be a terrific accomplishment. That said, it wouldn’t be without precedent for Kravy. Didnt he have like 6 goals in his first 8 games? Now that he’s getting back into a rhythm back from his injury, who’s to say he couldn’t go on another big scoring streak? No one who actually watches him regularly is saying that he’s been playing poorly, just that the results haven’t been there as much since he got back from his injury. Perhaps a new year and a fresh wave of confidence will bring a new wave of production.

he’s also leading his team in goal scoring, so they may start spoon feeding him as they try to position themselves for the playoffs.

 

[kovazub94]

Totally. It would be a terrific accomplishment. That said, it wouldn’t be without precedent for Kravy. Didnt he have like 6 goals in his first 8 games? Now that he’s getting back into a rhythm back from his injury, who’s to say he couldn’t go on another big scoring streak? No one who actually watches him regularly is saying that he’s been playing poorly, just that the results haven’t been there as much since he got back from his injury. Perhaps a new year and a fresh wave of confidence will bring a new wave of production.

he’s also leading his team in goal scoring, so they may start spoon feeding him as they try to position themselves for the playoffs.

Yeah, Kravtsov shown to be a streaky scorer so this would work in his favor in terms of his chances to get to 20 goals. Also, Traktor is pretty much a shoe in to make playoffs so there’d be at least 4 more games for him in the KHL season.

 

[kovazub94]

Kravtsov gave an interview to Russian NHL.ru site.

Кравцов: попасть в состав "Рейнджерс" - это мечта

Here are a couple of interesting bits:

1. Title: My dream is to make it onto the Rangers roster

2. The front office originally did have a problem with Kravtsov staying with Traktor for the full season but eventually conceded

3. Re. Up-and- down season: Felt great at the start of the season but then the injury happened that affected his physical condition. Upon return it was very difficult to skate, had no energy. He worked on his conditioning and now he’s back to a good physical shape. (this little break in Traktor’s schedule now should help even more through the end of the season)

4. Panarin is a great guy. Last year even though Kravtsov was in Hartford Panarin invited him for Christmas. Easy to talk to and a straight shooter (I bet he explained to Kravtsov just how hard he needs to work in Hartford and listen to the coaching staff there despite being a top-10 pick and hearing all the complements in the media)

5. Understand that him working and playing hard here and now for Traktor to continue to get better is how he will get to fulfill his dream to one day play on MSG ice.

 

[cmdevisser]

Kravtsov gave an interview to Russian NHL.ru site.

Кравцов: попасть в состав "Рейнджерс" - это мечта

Here are a couple of interesting bits:

1. Title: My dream is to make it onto the Rangers roster

2. The front office originally did have a problem with Kravtsov staying with Traktor for the full season but eventually conceded

3. Re. Up-and- down season: Felt great at the start of the season but then the injury happened that affected his physical condition. Upon return it was very difficult to skate, had no energy. He worked on his conditioning and now he’s back to a good physical shape. (this little break in Traktor’s schedule now should help even more through the end of the season)

4. Panarin is a great guy. Last year even though Kravtsov was in Hartford Panarin invited him for Christmas. Easy to talk to and a straight shooter (I bet he explained to Kravtsov just how hard he needs to work in Hartford and listen to the coaching staff there despite being a top-10 pick and hearing all the complements in the media)

5. Understand that him working and playing hard here and now for Traktor to continue to get better is how he will get to fulfill his dream to one day play on MSG ice.

Thanks so much for this! Really great to hear from Kravstov about the injury and how it impacted him. This provides lots of room for optimism about a strong finish to the season. I hope he continues his strong play to close out the next 19 games.

 

[Ola]

I guess that was a joke now that I reread it. No one knows Ola as a comedian, they know him is a wet blanket so I was just going by history.

Haha, I did add Simon to make the joke more obvious. I only got myself to blame, I write a lot of things that it’s perfectly understandable that it upset ppl, otoh a huge amounts of my jokes flies over many heads...

 

[Ola]

It's true, NHLers make mistakes all the time. Less so than in other leagues, and by and large when they do make mistakes they are usually quicker to recover or aided by other players who are also more adept at covering for mistakes.

That's why when he's doing north-south things, playing around the net, that's encouraging to me. Him back-checking to break up a 2-on-1, also excellent. When he's doing east-west, lower percentage plays, I'm not really moved. His backhand goal the other day garnered a "neat" reaction from me; it's a low-percentage play in the KHL and a lower percentage play in the NHL. Nice skill. I remember everyone being wowed by Linus Omark's skill (not comparing the two). How does it translate. That's the point.

The guy clearly has the skill to be a very productive offensive player. I really want him over here working on his game in North America. I know some feel the whole "learning the North American game" thing is overblown, and for some guys it is, because they're either really high-IQ players and adapt easily or they already play a game suited for North America. I don't think that Kravtsov falls into either category, so I'd really like to see him here, refining his game and making the adjustments, learning to make the right decision with the puck on his stick, learning how to find space and lanes when it's not on his stick (where everything is more tightly checked and physically contested).

The guy I see today is not totally dissimilar from the guy I saw in Hartford at the end of the season. He was engaged, working hard, getting back, etc. He still was doing too much side-to-side, holding onto the puck too long, that kind of stuff. I want to see him improve on that over here.

Yeah, and what will translate is the ability to adopt on the fly and to read the play fast. Kravy stands out there, and a lot too.

Then there are other challenges too. The NHL is a really tough league right now to make it in for kids, it’s sounds like a cliche but it is. You must be able to play a solid game in all areas, you must be able to get involved on and stay with the pace which is a challenge for a bigger guy like Kravy.

But it doesn’t matter one bit if a kid is the complete package, big, can skate and so forth. You must have that special presence of mind. The awareness. Those abilities that make it look like you have a lot of time with the puck around the net, while so many others always look like they have zero time.

Lastly, I do agree with you re Kravy’s need to learn the NA game. But at the same time I think it’s essential that one thing don’t replace another, and with someone like Kravy there is a risk for that if he is rushed to the AHL too early. He needs to play with at least half-smart players. Sure 60 games one year and 20 another, like Kreider. But it can’t be 2 years in the AHL to then start to challenge Y3. It will probably set him back too much in other areas.

 

[kovazub94]

Traktor is playing for the first time in 2021. After 1st period Traktor trails 0:1 against Spartak Moscow on a PP goal.

Kravtsov is LW on Sedlak's line. A few good shifts but nothing too exciting.

 

[kovazub94]

Kravtsov hit a post on PP and earned another PP opportunity for Traktor that is trailing 1:3 now.

 

[kovazub94]

A lot of dangerous chances. Pushed puck into the net (with the goalie, lol) after the whistle. Play is being reviewed.

 

[kovazub94]

Traktor lost 2:6. Kravtsov finished with no points, 6 SOG and 4 min penalties in over 17 min of ice-time.

Traktor's goalies have been terrible for well over a month now.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Kravtsov showing that toughness and getting matching double minors with another player on the other team for roughing. Wish we had the video.

 

[kovazub94]

Kravtsov showing that toughness and getting matching double minors with another player on the other team for roughing. Wish we had the video.

You don't want the video, lol. Let me just put it this way - Kravtsov wasn't the aggressor.

 

[RangersFan1994]

You don't want the video, lol. Let me just put it this way - Kravtsov wasn't the aggressor.

soft

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Kravtsov showing that toughness and getting matching double minors with another player on the other team for roughing. Wish we had the video.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Can't believe we drafted a goon at 9th OA. Its McIlrath all over again.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Thanks!

Guess they took the goal back...looks like he would have got credited for it or at least the assist if they counted it. Hard to tell if the puck was already in before the player came flying in and pushed the goalie into the net.

 

[RangersFan1994]

I wonder if as he gets mature that he will get more physical element like Buchnevich has been as a Ranger. he had a few fights already and not many would ever thought he would have done that as a prospect.