Prospect Info: Vitali Kravtsov: Part IX

[HatTrick Swayze]

Speaking of the 2018 draft there are some seriously good players that came out of the first round. 1. Dahlin is being wasted in Buffalo. 2. Svechnikov is already a hell of a power forward. 3. Kotkaniemi has had some ups and downs but he’s a legit NHL player. 4. I love Brady Tkachuk and his brother. 7. Quinn Hughes is a hell of a defenseman. 15. Joel Farabee. 17. Ty Smith.

It looks to me like the Rangers hit paydirt with all of 9. Kravtsov 22. K’Andre Miller and 28. Nils Lundkvist. That could be three outstanding players and when you think about the Kakko draft in 2019 and the Lafreniere draft in 2020 and if Schneider turns out and combine that with the Fox trade and the free agent signing of Panarin I can’t help but give Gorton and Drury and the Rangers amateur and pro scouting staffs an A+++ for the last 3 years.

When it actually came to the Rangers pick in 2018–the players yet to be chosen it was three guys for me. If we went forward it was 1. Kravtsov 2. Wahlstrom and if we went D I wanted Noah Dobson. The islanders took both Dobson and Wahlstrom and I think they’re going to be really good players too. The sleeper really was Farabee though and you might make a case for K’Andre. Nils Lundkvist when he joins us though might turn out the best.

I don't want to jinx it, but I was similarly marveling about the NYR 2018 draft the other day. Always so envious of those mythical drafts other teams seemed to have...Ducks 03...Bruins 06. This has the potential to be close to that level for the NYR.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Playing Kravstov on the 4th line like the Wings did with their guys would be fine if we were loaded at forward like those Wings were. They had like two lines worth of hall of fame players. We don't have that. We have a Kreider who smokes ass right now and shouldn't be anywhere near a top 6.

But it goes beyond Kreider. Kravtsov has been arguably our best forward over the last 3 games (and I don't think its an argument, he flat out has been.) Limiting his ice time doesn't make sense.

OMG? Is there a change in HF NYRB?

And just like that right away...









Shit’s back on...

Shits also true.

If you're trying to make a run, it makes sense to play the guys who are going. Unless of course, you like making life harder for yourself and increasing the chances that you don't win.


Take this for example, the Rangers got their asses handed to them by the Islanders in the 1st period on Sunday. They actually took the game over for most of the last 2 periods after Quinn swapped Kravtsov for Kreider. Quinn throws Kreider back with Mika (this was 4v4) because he's a "trusty vet" and Kreider immediately almost costs them the game in regulation.... Before blowing his assignment in OT which led to a high danger chance against and the FO that eventually led to the winning goal against.

This is the lack of feel for the game and poor bench management that some of us have been talking about. This isn't an isolated incident either, this has been a Quinn thing all year long.

You know for someone who doesn't really care about Quinn, you spend A LOT of time in basically every thread defending him lol.

But back to Kravtsov...

 

[haveandare]

I find him more exciting to watch than Kakko. Go ahead and shoot me. Lol

Both very exciting but different imo. Kakkos ability to win puck battles and maintain possession is just nuts

 

[Raspewtin]

before he was in the NHL I've always been impressed with his stick work. lots of takeaways and play disruptions in both zones and he has an insane wingspan so almost nobody is safe.

I know for a while, especially in the shiny new toy era of laf and kakko, he was just another prospect here but I think he has the potential to be a very unique player.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Both very exciting but different imo. Kakkos ability to win puck battles and maintain possession is just nuts

True, but Vitaly's ability to win battles at this level has been very eye opening as well.

And it's not just winning battles, he's making positive plays with the puck immediately after winning said battle. He's done this multiple times in every game that hes played in.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

I find him more exciting to watch than Kakko. Go ahead and shoot me. Lol

Nothing wrong with that. It's true. Kravtsov is a flashier player.

 

[Leonardo87]

Nothing wrong with that. It's true. Kravtsov is a flashier player.

He also looks very comfortable out there. Kakko and Laf looked a little lost in their 1st set of NHL games. But those guys were thrown right into the NHL at a very young age so it’s not a fair comparison.

 

[True Blue]

Quinn is a coward.

Or maybe he is managing to win, while in consultation with management on where and how prospects are used? That could not be it. Much better to froth at the mouth. Meanwhile, the team has the 7th best record in the NHL over the last month. But hey, am positive that arm chair internet coaches and GMs know what is best.

 

[True Blue]

But back to Kravtsov...

Maybe it is not so much defending Quinn as it is simply looking at prospect development. Or has Kravstov been completely ruined already the same what that Kakko and Lafreniere have?

 

[EdJovanovski]

True, but Vitaly's ability to win battles at this level has been very eye opening as well.

And it's not just winning battles, he's making positive plays with the puck immediately after winning said battle. He's done this multiple times in every game that hes played in.

He also has this knack for getting his stick in the right position to takeaway or deflect pucks when defending or battling for the puck, similar to Panarin

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

Maybe it is not so much defending Quinn as it is simply looking at prospect development. Or has Kravstov been completely ruined already the same what that Kakko and Lafreniere have?

Kravstov has been great.

So great that he should play more because more of him = more good things happen on the ice. When more good things happen on the ice, you have a better chance of winning.

Especially when the LW on the Zibanejad line has been awful for almost a month now.

 

[nyr2k2]

I don't really mind what Quinn is doing with Krieder. Honestly, I think most coaches in the league would be doing the same thing. This isn't a situation like where he was obsessed with Howden despite him being hot garbage; Kreider is a guy who in recent years is a 25-30 goal scorer (per 82) and brings true game-changing abilities when he's on. Quinn is force-feeding him minutes until he gets back on track, just like with Zibanejad earlier in the year. IMO when you have a top player who is going through a rough patch (as Kreider is wont to do), I think you stick with the guy while he works his way through it. I don't think dropping Kreider to the bottom six and taking away his PP time would be helpful to him.

It's unfortunate that Kravtsov, who is playing very well, seems to be the primary player who suffers from Kreider's TOI, but Kravtsov is doing fine in his role and contributing regardless. Talking about this season, you may see a short-term gain by flipping Kravtsov and Kreider, but I think if the team wants to make the playoffs, and actually make some noise in the playoffs instead of getting swept out, they need Chris Kreider in form. And to get him in form you need to keep playing him.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Or maybe he is managing to win, while in consultation with management on where and how prospects are used? That could not be it. Much better to froth at the mouth. Meanwhile, the team has the 7th best record in the NHL over the last month. But hey, am positive that arm chair internet coaches and GMs know what is best.

I honestly don't understand your angle. Why are you defending literally EVERYTHING this clown does? There's no defending having Kravtsov, our best young forward since coming up on the 4th line.

 

[Rongomania]

Both very exciting but different imo. Kakkos ability to win puck battles and maintain possession is just nuts

+ what Kakko looks like at 21. Terrifying and extremely exciting.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

+ what Kakko looks like at 21. Terrifying and extremely exciting.

He's only 20

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

I don't really mind what Quinn is doing with Krieder. Honestly, I think most coaches in the league would be doing the same thing. This isn't a situation like where he was obsessed with Howden despite him being hot garbage; Kreider is a guy who in recent years is a 25-30 goal scorer (per 82) and brings true game-changing abilities when he's on. Quinn is force-feeding him minutes until he gets back on track, just like with Zibanejad earlier in the year. IMO when you have a top player who is going through a rough patch (as Kreider is wont to do), I think you stick with the guy while he works his way through it. I don't think dropping Kreider to the bottom six and taking away his PP time would be helpful to him.

It's unfortunate that Kravtsov, who is playing very well, seems to be the primary player who suffers from Kreider's TOI, but Kravtsov is doing fine in his role and contributing regardless. Talking about this season, you may see a short-term gain by flipping Kravtsov and Kreider, but I think if the team wants to make the playoffs, and actually make some noise in the playoffs instead of getting swept out, they need Chris Kreider in form. And to get him in form you need to keep playing him.

What better way to light a fire under his ass than to keep him on the 4th line for a few games?

I can understand wanting to let him play his way out of his funk if this were a one or two week thing, but it's been a month. If the goal is making the playoffs, he isn't helping at all right now and they don't have a ton of runway left to really push for a spot. I don't think force feeding Mika helped him (or the team) either, but that has more to do with what he was recovering from.

I wouldn't take Kreider off the PP. He barely touches the puck there anyway and its the only part of his game that has been productive his year.

 

[Raspewtin]

my problem with Kreider is that he seems to have lost a step in his skating which allowed him to win basically every single foot race and puck battle and now he loses the majority of them, but tries to make these fancy touch plays in open ice to compensate for it. Kreider playing this way is a 3rd liner at best. It's extremely ineffective. He's still a great PP player but if he's going to continue playing this way he's already no longer a top 6 player, at least on this team.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

What better way to light a fire under his ass than to keep him on the 4th line for a few games?

I can understand wanting to let him play his way out of his funk if this were a one or two week thing, but it's been a month. If the goal is making the playoffs, he isn't helping at all right now and they don't have a ton of runway left to really push for a spot. I don't think force feeding Mika helped him (or the team) either, but that has more to do with what he was recovering from.

I wouldn't take Kreider off the PP. He barely touches the puck there anyway and its the only part of his game that has been productive his year.

I may be disappointed with Quinn sliding Kreider straight back onto the top line, but I can't say I am surprised. I didn't expect anything else. Kreider is leading the team in goals, he has a lot of credit and one bad game won't change that. If this was Gauthier, he'd be sitting a game.

Kravtsov is playing much better than a 4th line player and he deserves to be bumped up but if anyone is going down a line or two to accomodate that, it's Blackwell, not Kreider.

 

[Anthony5967]

I don’t know what they’re going to do next year if Buchnevich is re-signed because Kravtsov isn’t a fourth line player. He just isn’t. He’s perfect with Zib and Buch.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Playing Kravstov on the 4th line like the Wings did with their guys would be fine if we were loaded at forward like those Wings were. They had like two lines worth of hall of fame players. We don't have that. We have a Kreider who smokes ass right now and shouldn't be anywhere near a top 6.

But it goes beyond Kreider. Kravtsov has been arguably our best forward over the last 3 games (and I don't think its an argument, he flat out has been.) Limiting his ice time doesn't make sense.



Shits also true.

If you're trying to make a run, it makes sense to play the guys who are going. Unless of course, you like making life harder for yourself and increasing the chances that you don't win.


Take this for example, the Rangers got their asses handed to them by the Islanders in the 1st period on Sunday. They actually took the game over for most of the last 2 periods after Quinn swapped Kravtsov for Kreider. Quinn throws Kreider back with Mika (this was 4v4) because he's a "trusty vet" and Kreider immediately almost costs them the game in regulation.... Before blowing his assignment in OT which led to a high danger chance against and the FO that eventually led to the winning goal against.

This is the lack of feel for the game and poor bench management that some of us have been talking about. This isn't an isolated incident either, this has been a Quinn thing all year long.

You know for someone who doesn't really care about Quinn, you spend A LOT of time in basically every thread defending him lol.

But back to Kravtsov...

At this point people defending Quinn are just being contrarians for the sake of being contrarians.

 

[Rongomania]

He's only 20

Yeah, sorry, I meant "What Kakko is going to look like at 21."

Cannot wait.

 

[True Blue]

Kravstov has been great.

In a very limited time and mostly in a very limited role.

So great that he should play more because more of him = more good things happen on the ice. When more good things happen on the ice, you have a better chance of winning.

So great that the coaching staff in consultation with the front office has deemed where and how he is being used as proper.

Especially when the LW on the Zibanejad line has been awful for almost a month now.

Yes, Kreider has been piss poor. I would not have an issue if he was replaced on the wing by a Lafreniere for a game or so while he gets his game back together.

 

[True Blue]

I honestly don't understand your angle. Why are you defending literally EVERYTHING this clown does? There's no defending having Kravtsov, our best young forward since coming up on the 4th line.

Because I see absolutely jack crap to make me believe that there is mishandling of any prospect.

Or are we still beating the drum that they are being ruined?

At this point people defending Quinn are just being contrarians for the sake of being contrarians.

At this point people are attacking Quinn because they are running out of other things to complain about regarding the franchise.

 

[Rongomania]

Because I see absolutely jack crap to make me believe that there is mishandling of any prospect.

Or are we still beating the drum that they are being ruined?

You can say 'Jack shit' now.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Because I see absolutely jack crap to make me believe that there is mishandling of any prospect.

Or are we still beating the drum that they are being ruined?

At this point people are attacking Quinn because they are running out of other things to complain about regarding the franchise.

You're basically saying Kravtsov who has looked 10 times better than Kreider is serving the team better on the 4th line than on Mika's line. That's why I say you're being a contrarian. That's an insane opinion.