Prospect Info: Vitali Kravtsov: Part IX

[LetsGoRangers2021]

I personally think PDG played himself out of the lineup Thursday night but it’s doubtful Quinn agrees. I can understand it wanting to tweak the bottom six after a great win against WAS but tonight would be a great time after barely squeaking one out against BUF.

That PDG penalty was absolutely brutal. Unnecessary.

 

[Ruggs225]

Second unit problem begins on the clock imo, rarely do they get out without being in a crazy rush to get set up because there’s 15 second left in the PP

yeah i dont get why quinn doesnt change lines when there is a whistle with about half the pp left

 

[haveandare]

That’s certainly a large part of the problem too.

It’s weird because the first unit is just really good at holding the zone which should be beneficial so you don’t want to hurt that cause but on the other hand you never get the second unit out with meaningful minutes

 

[Off Sides]

I think the PP for the most part has been fine. Yet last game I did not think Kreider was particularity invested in it.

 

[GAGLine]

Second unit problem begins on the clock imo, rarely do they get out without being in a crazy rush to get set up because there’s 15 second left in the PP

I don't mind if the 1st unit gets the majority/all of the PP from time to time. If they are out there controlling the puck the entire time, it doesn't make much sense to sub players in and risk losing possession. But I would like to see the 2nd unit get the start on the PP some times, especially if the guys on the first unit were on the ice when the penalty was called. And if there is a whistle near the 1 minute mark, switch units, regardless of which unit started.

 

[tomobson]

I don't see Kravtsov getting in unless there is an injury or covid case until after the trade deadline. And with the way quinn is managing the games right now I'm not sure if I even want Kravtsov in the lineup.

 

[Synergy27]

I think the PP for the most part has been fine. Yet last game I did not think Kreider was particularity invested in it.

The PP is 25th in the league in terms of conversion percentage. They maintain possession like nobody’s business but they don’t score enough. The PP is not good.

 

[Synergy27]

I don't mind if the 1st unit gets the majority/all of the PP from time to time. If they are out there controlling the puck the entire time, it doesn't make much sense to sub players in and risk losing possession. But I would like to see the 2nd unit get the start on the PP some times, especially if the guys on the first unit were on the ice when the penalty was called. And if there is a whistle near the 1 minute mark, switch units, regardless of which unit started.

Yep. This is the way basically every hockey team ever handles PPs. Staying on for the full two minutes should be the exception, not the rule.

 

[kovazub94]

Hate this kind of dismissive nonsense. Smith is not good enough right now to play on a good team. We have a very young defense and so we put up with his largely putrid play for his veteran presence. But, let's not pretend that he is not caught up ice leading to odd man rushes way too often, doesn't fail to clear the puck when he has a good opp to do so too often and doesn't take untimely, lazy penalties almost every night. Hedman? what a dopey thing to post.

I don’t know how much attention you pay to other teams 3rd pair defensemen - that should be the basis for comparison - where Smith is in the top half in the eye test as well as advance stats. That’s why your comment about being caught up ice is exactly why I mentioned Hedman (obviously as an exaggeration). Your basis for “too much” is not based on apples to apples comparison against performance of his peers - other 3rd pair defensemen.

 

[Off Sides]

The PP is 25th in the league in terms of conversion percentage. They maintain possession like nobody’s business but they don’t score enough. The PP is not good.

That is over the whole season, since Zbad has been back to being more himself they've been better, at least I think so.

 

[Unknownbutfamous1]

How about we just send him to Hartford? Problem solved. He could play and adjust to the NA game. While he had a good year in the KFL, he didnt exactly light up the AHL year.

 

[True Blue]

Keep kakko with Panarin and Strome

Staple Laf to Mika and Buch

Play CK with Chytil and Kravtsov

Gauthier to 4th line where he belongs.

Tarmo can get 3rd pairing minutes behind Lindgren and Miller.

This is not difficult or radical.

It’s not. But when a team is also trying to win, moving 19’year ok’d who has been largely missing in action over the last month to a prime time spot while demoting your top goal scorer does not seem like a prudent thing to do. Not when you are are trying to win abs stay in the race. Same goes for Tarmo, whose play over the last while can at best be described as “meh”. And that’s in Hartford. Meanwhile, in the midst of a playoff rare, Smith has been doing the job of a 6th defenseman quite well.

You are prioritizing minutes given to rookie players over winning. I get that. Especially when one of them is expected to be the face of the franchise. But management and the coaching staff are prioritizing winning. As would virtually any other coach and front office were they in this situation and position. What your are suggesting is certainly not radical. But neither is what is actually happening on the ice and in games.

 

[kovazub94]

...You are prioritizing minutes given to rookie players over winning. I get that. Especially when one of them is expected to be the face of the franchise. But management and the coaching staff are prioritizing winning. ...

I’d say more specifically that management prioritizing that rookies are developing in the winning environment than more meaningless minutes.

 

[Leetch3]

I’d say more specifically that management prioritizing that rookies are developing in the winning environment than more meaningless minutes.

there is definitely a balance that needs to be found

 

[EdJovanovski]

 

[pld459666]

It’s not. But when a team is also trying to win, moving 19’year ok’d who has been largely missing in action over the last month to a prime time spot while demoting your top goal scorer does not seem like a prudent thing to do. Not when you are are trying to win abs stay in the race. Same goes for Tarmo, whose play over the last while can at best be described as “meh”. And that’s in Hartford. Meanwhile, in the midst of a playoff rare, Smith has been doing the job of a 6th defenseman quite well.

You are prioritizing minutes given to rookie players over winning. I get that. Especially when one of them is expected to be the face of the franchise. But management and the coaching staff are prioritizing winning. As would virtually any other coach and front office were they in this situation and position. What your are suggesting is certainly not radical. But neither is what is actually happening on the ice and in games.

I think the problem lies in that the playoffs should be a BONUS whereas the development of the kids should be the goal 3 years after the letter.

If these kids are not contributing anything meaningful to a playoff run, the actual benefit of the playoffs is hollow IMHO.

This seems to have turned into a half-assed rebuild after the little bit of success the team had at the endo of last season before COVID.

 

[True Blue]

I’d say more specifically that management prioritizing that rookies are developing in the winning environment than more meaningless minutes.

Even better put

 

[True Blue]

I think the problem lies in that the playoffs should be a BONUS whereas the development of the kids should be the goal 3 years after the letter.

If these kids are not contributing anything meaningful to a playoff run, the actual benefit of the playoffs is hollow IMHO.

This seems to have turned into a half-assed rebuild after the little bit of success the team had at the endo of last season before COVID.

I see nothing that is half assed. There is a hard balance that needs to be found. But loosing and playing out the string plays in the mind. Maybe the minutes played in a race do more than those in playing out the string?

Is Kakko is not contributing to a playoff run? Lafreniere needs to step up his play. This up to him. He has to be noticed. That is also up to him. Reaunen needs to do something to stand out in the AHL before being promoted to play on a playoff race at the NHL level.

Like it or not the front office has deemed that less minutes in an environment where every game and every shift counts, is worth more to the kids than more minutes in an environment where winning comes second.

They may be onto something.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

That PDG penalty was absolutely brutal. Unnecessary.

When Gauthier took an unnecessary penalty, he was scratched the following game, despite scoring a goal and still having a positive impact on the game.

You'd think DiGiuseppe sits for that atrocious penalty, right?

 

[LetsGoRangers2021]

When Gauthier took an unnecessary penalty, he was scratched the following game, despite scoring a goal and still having a positive impact on the game.

You'd think DiGiuseppe sits for that atrocious penalty, right?

Gauthier took 3 penalties which amounted to 8 minutes and cost the team the game when the game winning goal was scored.

That said, yes, that is why PDG should be the odd man out for Kravstov. He hasn’t contributed much either.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Gauthier took 3 penalties which amounted to 8 minutes and cost the team the game when the game winning goal was scored.

That said, yes, that is why PDG should be the odd man out for Kravstov. He hasn’t contributed much either.

Yes, but by the same logic, the Rangers don't make it to OT without Gauthier's goal

 

[FireGerardGallant]

When Gauthier took an unnecessary penalty, he was scratched the following game, despite scoring a goal and still having a positive impact on the game.

You'd think DiGiuseppe sits for that atrocious penalty, right?

Something Something earning it

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Yes, but by the same logic, the Rangers don't make it to OT without Gauthier's goal

Gauthier scored one goal and the Rangers gave up 2 PP goals on his penalties. So you're right they don't make it to OT, they win in regulation.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Gauthier scored one goal and the Rangers gave up 2 PP goals on his penalties. So you're right they don't make it to OT, they win in regulation.

So penalties are only bad if the opponent scores on the PP?

 

[SnowblindNYR]

So penalties are only bad if the opponent scores on the PP?

No? But if you cost the team a game it's pretty bad.