Player Discussion Vitali Kravtsov - Signed 2-Year Deal with Traktor Chelyabinsk

[RobsonStreet]

See above^

There's also a YouTube channel where this guy clips videos of NHL games and he did a lot of videos on Kravtsov, highlighting his defensive play which was excellent. He's a great skater with a long wingspan and an active stick, he's very capable as a defensive player. If you read through GDT's on the Rangers board from his first stint with the team he was voted as one of the 3 stars practically every single game he played. I would say his weakest look at the NHL was his stint with Vancouver, as he was essentially sitting for most of the year and hadn't played a game in months when he came here. He wasn't in game shape. He's someone who demonstrates some of the flashiest hands & skills of any hockey player on the planet, I have that highlight reel video I made which rivals anything you could put together of any other hockey player. Couple those skills with by every metric, very solid defensive play; I don't see why you wouldn't take the gamble on him when the Canucks are in such a bind when it comes to the cap

He’s played in 20 NHL games in 2020-2021, 0 games in 2021-2022, and 44 games across NYR and Van in 2022-2023. Put simply, those data are noise.

He’s not scoring at a high enough level to project favourably as an NHL forward that provides offence and zero offence guys with credible NHL track records (e.g. Zach Aston-Reese) pass through waivers. Unless he connects his all world puck skills to tangible results he’s tracking like Rob Schremp.

The trade was a reasonable gamble at the time, but time marches on.

 

[EdJovanovski]

 

[Andy Dufresne]

Well, the comments are all over the map on what we have.

1. the acquisition cost was near zero, so who cares.
2. one poster says he's responsible defensively.
3. consensus seems to be offensive skills.
4. remarks along the lines of he will never make the lineup with Tocchet.
5. A ton of different takes on whether he is having a decent season in Russia.

Going go with we may have a diamond in the rough. Sadly the last diamond in the rough scored 39 goals and then got dumped. f*** me if I have any idea of where we are at.

It's part of HF boards culture to assume guys are already as good as they'll ever be by the time they're 21 or 22. Which is pretty odd if you're Canuck fan considering one of best lines in franchise history was made up of 3 guys who didn't really figure it out until they were 23 or 24 years old. None drafted by the Canucks either.

I'm under no illusion that Kravtsov is the next Naslund, but it's still possible he could turn into a useful nhl player. We also hold his rights until June 2027. So lots of evaluation time for the team, and time for him to figure out if he wants to ever be an nhl regular. He may never amount to anything (seems likely), oth we also gave up nothing for him.

 

[VanJack]

And it isn't just guys like Naslund, Bertuzzi or Morrison who figured it out in their mid-20's and for a different team than the one that drafted them.

The Sedins were up and down for almost five seasons, and were so discouraged they seriously talked about returning to play in Sweden. And it was apparently Trevor Linden who talked them out of it.

 

[MS]

And it isn't just guys like Naslund, Bertuzzi or Morrison who figured it out in their mid-20's and for a different team than the one that drafted them.

The Sedins were up and down for almost five seasons, and were so discouraged they seriously talked about returning to play in Sweden. And it was apparently Trevor Linden who talked them out of it.

Todd Bertuzzi scored 40 points in the NHL at age 20.

Markus Naslund scored 56 points in the NHL at age 21.

The Sedins scored almost 40 points in the NHL at age 20.

These were elite players for their age group who had a couple hiccups but were still quality NHL players.

It isn’t comparable to a guy who is 24 and looked totally incapable of playing at this level.

 

[VanJack]

Todd Bertuzzi scored 40 points in the NHL at age 20.

Markus Naslund scored 56 points in the NHL at age 21.

The Sedins scored almost 40 points in the NHL at age 20.

These were elite players for their age group who had a couple hiccups but were still quality NHL players.

It isn’t comparable to a guy who is 24 and looked totally incapable of playing at this level.

My point exactly. These guy were decent NHL players in their early 20's but didn't take their game to another, superstar level until they joined the Canucks.

So Kravtsov, by comparison, doesn't have nearly as far to go to become a second, or third line winger like a Mikheyev, Lafferty or even a Garland.

 

[RobertKron]

My point exactly. These guy were decent NHL players in their early 20's but didn't take their game to another, superstar level until they joined the Canucks.

So Kravtsov, by comparison, doesn't have nearly as far to go to become a second, or third line winger like a Mikheyev, Lafferty or even a Garland.

Yeah, all he'd have to do is completely reinvent himself as a player from the ground up and make the NHL based on specifically all of the facets of his game that forced him out of the league in the first place. Should be easy!

 

[MS]

My point exactly. These guy were decent NHL players in their early 20's but didn't take their game to another, superstar level until they joined the Canucks.

So Kravtsov, by comparison, doesn't have nearly as far to go to become a second, or third line winger like a Mikheyev, Lafferty or even a Garland.

Guys who were top-10 picks and spectacularly busted and were nowhere near being NHLers at age 24-25 who then went on to become useful/solid NHL players … don’t exist.

It is a totally different thing to actually be a competent NHL player and then take the step into being an excellent player.

 

[Bleach Clean]

But speculation isn't unwarranted. (that's a heck of lot of what we do here). Mine is that Kravtsov would have to be blowing the doors off offensively over in Russia to be any kind of consideration. Toolsy guys like him are often the most frustrating types of prospect.

Even if he were to blow the doors off offensively, his lack of 2way play would again bounce him from the roster.

To me, it was always a trade not worth making (even at a low relative cost). Might as well have given the pick back to the league... A more ill-fitting player would be hard to find.

 

[VanJack]

A polarizing player I guess.....According to the Rangers, he was a decent defensive player. It was his lack of confidence at the offensive end that spelled his demise as a legit top prospect.

But maybe he doesn't ever make it or ever return to N.A. But if not Kravtsov, then some other young players will have to step up to fill the void next season. They have nine UFA's and only three d-men signed beyond this season.

Can't possibly fill the void with UFA's. There's not enough quality out there or money to sign them.

 

[MS]

A polarizing player I guess.....According to the Rangers, he was a decent defensive player. It was his lack of confidence at the offensive end that spelled his demise as a legit top prospect.

But maybe he doesn't ever make it or ever return to N.A. But if not Kravtsov, then some other young players will have to step up to fill the void next season. They have nine UFA's and only three d-men signed beyond this season.

Can't possibly fill the void with UFA's. There's not enough quality out there or money to sign them.

There will be literally 100 UFAs this summer who are better players than Kravtsov.

There are plenty of Coglianos or Maroons or whatever who will take <$1 million to join a winning team and who can tread water in bottom-6 minutes. We aren't just going to be randomly promoting 5 guys from Abbotsford or dreck like Kravtsov.

 

[RobertKron]

There will be literally 100 UFAs this summer who are better players than Kravtsov.

There are plenty of Coglianos or Maroons or whatever who will take <$1 million to join a winning team and who can tread water in bottom-6 minutes. We aren't just going to be randomly promoting 5 guys from Abbotsford or dreck like Kravtsov.

NO ONLY KRAVTSOV

 

[EdJovanovski]

Traktor scores 1st to take a 1-0 lead in game 1 of the semi finals!

 

[Lindgren]

Traktor scores 1st to take a 1-0 lead in game 1 of the semi finals!

Kravtsov has a goal in the first period in game 2. (Tractor lost the opener, in which Kravtsov was pointless.)

 

[EdJovanovski]

@Lindgren thank you for posting update I cannot "like" as the Anti-Kravtsov establishment has stripped me of the ability!

 

[Lindgren]

@Lindgren thank you for posting update I cannot "like" as the Anti-Kravtsov establishment has stripped me of the ability!

Tractor lost 3-2 in OT. They're now down 2-0 in the series.

 

[EdJovanovski]

Tractor lost 3-2 in OT. They're now down 2-0 in the series.

Frustrating game with penalties, and a pretty bad goal to give up in OT. I do believe in the old adage that you’re not in too much trouble until you’ve lost at home though

 

[Lindgren]

Tractor was shut out today, and that eliminates them from the playoffs in a four game sweep. Kravtsov's season is over. Eddie J ... have a great off season and come back stronger to post in the fall.

 

[MS]

5 points in 13 games for Kravtsov, 8th on his own team in scoring.

Nothing that happened this season gives any optimism that this player has changed or upped his stock in terms of coming back to NA.

 

[God]

Just let the guy have his special interest

 

[EdJovanovski]

2 Goals in 2GP so far.

 

[Profet]

2 Goals in 2GP so far.

What was his heart rate?

 

[Coffee]

Only been two games so far but he is tilting the ice every time he is on there

This is a unexpectedly very exciting start for the Canucks project here

 

[Three On Zero]

Only been two games so far but he is tilting the ice every time he is on there

This is a unexpectedly very exciting start for the Canucks project here

Assuming he comes back to North America

 

[VanJack]

As I understand it, his KHL contract expires at the end of this upcoming season.....but that he does have an 'NHL out-clause'. I know a lot of posters have written him off.

But I assume the Canucks retain his rights until at least the end of this season. Considering he was acquired for Will Lockwood and a seventh round draft pick; not much of a loss if we never see him again.