RW Vitaly Kravtsov - Traktor Chelyabinsk, KHL (2018, 9th, NYR)

[Doctyl]

I'm so happy about this pick - and I'm an Isles' fan!!!

 

[Lays]

Wow, likely behind Svechnikov and above guys like Zadina, Wahlstrom, Tkachuk, Kotka

 

[Fantomas]

Encouraging to know that people have been praising Kravtsov's character. At least that is what Bob McKenzie said.

I wonder what that means specifically. I guess he interviewed well.

 

[bl02]

Wow, likely behind Svechnikov and above guys like Zadina, Wahlstrom, Tkachuk, Kotka

I guess we shall see in due time if he is right or not.

 

[Marshy71]

I like this pick - hope he does well for the rangers

 

[Kshahdoo]

Russian factor is always a posibility, so I doubt if a team doesn't have a successful history of signing Russian players, it will pick Kravtsov high enough. And the most "Russian" NHL teams (Tampa, Washington) are going to pick pretty late. Of all early picks, it's probably Rangers, who have the best chance to get the kid out of the KHL as soon as possible. But they still can prefer to get a "good ol' NA boy".

Lol, predicted the pick in March. They should take me as a scout. And it won't cost them too much, I promise.

 

[Alluckks]

Reports (and limited footage I have seen) indicate he has worked well with a good Center feeding him, like Denisenko

How do you think Kravstov could fair with a guy like Chytil as his Center?

Is he destined to stay on RW? He is a Left-handed shot so I wasn't sure if he moved around much or was put on that wing due to a cluster.

 

[Pandaman11]

For me, the most impressive thing is always how Bob McKenzie knows all the picks in advance. He even predicted this one. Kinda takes the surprise moments out of watching the draft.

 

[Kshahdoo]

For me, the most impressive thing is always how Bob McKenzie knows all the picks in advance. He even predicted this one. Kinda takes the surprise moments out of watching the draft.

#metoo... I mean, I predicted this pick as well.

 

[Mrb1p]

#metoo... I mean, I predicted this pick as well.

Same. Exactly at the same spot, Hughes, Kotkaniemi and Zadina too. Wouldve been 9/9 if I flipped Boqvist and Tkachuk from my personal list.

 

[Mrb1p]

Reports (and limited footage I have seen) indicate he has worked well with a good Center feeding him, like Denisenko

How do you think Kravstov could fair with a guy like Chytil as his Center?

Is he destined to stay on RW? He is a Left-handed shot so I wasn't sure if he moved around much or was put on that wing due to a cluster.

Hes a puck carrier. Hes not a typical shooting winger, his game is similar to Kucherov, IMO. ( I doubt he becomes a 100 points player though.)

Chytil is somewhat similar too, so im not sure.

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

For me, the most impressive thing is always how Bob McKenzie knows all the picks in advance. He even predicted this one. Kinda takes the surprise moments out of watching the draft.

I've got a feeling he talked to one of the Rangers scouts as one of the 10 scouts he surveyed for his rankings the last 2 drafts. When they were walking up to the podium he rattled off their top 4 targets (with Pettersson and Glass being taken before they picked)

 

[SnowblindNYR]

For me, the most impressive thing is always how Bob McKenzie knows all the picks in advance. He even predicted this one. Kinda takes the surprise moments out of watching the draft.

He's being fed these picks, he's not guessing or anything. It became clear when he said "this is an interesting pick" before Merkley and then before the Rangers trade he said was the Rangers. He's a bleeping attention whore that ruined my draft experience. I'm sure there are tweets that can give people the information that absolutely need it 10 seconds before the selection. It's brutal that he's ruined the draft for me.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Great pick Rangers

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Gordie Clark mentioned that he's played C in the past, and it could be an option.

I agree with the above comments that he's more of a 1v1 player than a shooter, but I also think he has a 55/60 shot.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

This kid came out of nowhere earlier in the season. He just flipped a switch and has been progressing. I think he's a more all-round player than a guy like Wahlstrom. Kravtsov has that X-factor skill to him. His performance with Chelyabinsk has been nothing short of phenomenal for his age. When you look at him on the ice, he is just controlling the play, against grown men, some former NHL players.

The KHL is the 2nd best league in the world and there's no debate. It's not a development league as some here have said before. For a 17-year old to even get regular minutes is good but Kravtsov did something with those minutes. He was rookie of the year in the KHL, beating Eeli Tolvanen for that award, broke the record for goals by a pre-drafted teenager (previously held by Kuznetsov set when he was 2 years older than Kravtsov is now) and was regarded a top 5 pick on several scouting lists of the teams. It's a question of what you like. A pure sniper like Wahlstrom, or a more well-rounded player like Kravtsov.

Kravtsov has a lot of similarities with Kucherov in the way he plays. He makes things happen out of nothing. He creates so much. I think if there is an aspect where he could improve, it's his shot but with the way he plays, he often puts himself in a position where his skill provides him with high-danger scoring chances. I absolutely love this pick. I still can't believe I actually Whoo'd when I heard Gordie say "From Traktor Chelyabinsk". I was celebrating before his name was even called and I have people look at me like I was crazy. I may have been the only Rangers fan in that building happy with the pick. A lot of people were dead-set on Wahlstrom (and with good reason, if I might add).

I feel Kravtsov is the type of player you need to build around. He is a guy who tilts the ice in your favor whenever he comes off the bench. I hope he stays in Russia for another year and then comes over to try his luck in the NHL. I can see a similar path to Tolvanen for Kravtsov, with a KHL season post-draft and then joining the team.

He really went into overdrive from January onwards.
2G, 1A in 5 games for the Russian senior national team
1G, 3A in 2 games in the MHL play offs
4G, 3A in 9 games in the VHL
5G, 5A in 11 games in the KHL play offs

He was promoted to the 2nd line in January, showing that his on-ice performance was rewarded. Like Kotkaniemi, he just kept improving throughout the season. Climbing and working his way up. That's very promising. I've always been a fan of picking risers.


Right after you hear Gordie Clark name the team (Traktor Chelyabinsk) you hear some moron in the background yelling "OH YEAH!!!".

That's me

 

[Gospel of Prospal]

I have a feeling the Rangers are going to pick him 9th. They never shy away from Russians. When Kuznetsov was selected in 2010, McKenzie mentioned that they were very interested in him at 10th overall. Buchnevich, Cherapanov, Shestyorkin, Grachev, Anisimov.. bit of a history there. Seems like a fit to me.

Good call

 

[Irishguy42]

 

[QJL]

He's being fed these picks, he's not guessing or anything. It became clear when he said "this is an interesting pick" before Merkley and then before the Rangers trade he said was the Rangers. He's a bleeping attention ****e that ruined my draft experience. I'm sure there are tweets that can give people the information that absolutely need it 10 seconds before the selection. It's brutal that he's ruined the draft for me.

Totally agree. He didn’t spoil much but when he did it sucked. Migh watch with no volume next year. Also hated the lack of actual draft coverage after the 2nd round.

Kravtsov has a chance to be a special player. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he ended up having a similar post draft season to Pettersson. He was phenomenal in the two playoff games I watched.

 

[QJL]

He was rookie of the year in the KHL, beating Eeli Tolvanen for that award

To be fair, anyone in their right mind knows Tolvanen was the real rookie of the year. There have been rumors that only Russians are given the award and that Tolvanen’s departure for the NHL at the end of the year took him off the list. Their seasons were not comparable.

Great post besides that!

 

[CoyotesHFNHL]

For me, the most impressive thing is always how Bob McKenzie knows all the picks in advance. He even predicted this one. Kinda takes the surprise moments out of watching the draft.

He's being fed these picks, he's not guessing or anything. It became clear when he said "this is an interesting pick" before Merkley and then before the Rangers trade he said was the Rangers. He's a bleeping attention ****e that ruined my draft experience. I'm sure there are tweets that can give people the information that absolutely need it 10 seconds before the selection. It's brutal that he's ruined the draft for me.

Picks are processed on the computer and approved by the NHL before teams are told to go ahead and pick. When this happens the pick shows up on the computer for all 31 teams before it is announced. In between the time it shows on the computer and the team gets to the mic to make the pick, Bob receives a text from someone at a draft table with the pick.

This is why sometimes you'll hear him talk about different forwards the team might want prior to them walking up to the stage, then as the team walks up to the mic about to make the pick he'll quickly say "I think they'll take a defenseman here" before the team announced they are picking a defenseman.

Bob brings A LOT to the draft experience, this is the one thing he takes away from it.

 

[Irishguy42]

Gorton said that he will talk with Kravstov's agent at the end of the week regarding this and how to best move forward with Vitaly

 

[Irishguy42]

So Gorton and agent will discuss, as mentioned before.

 

[Kocur Dill]

Reports (and limited footage I have seen) indicate he has worked well with a good Center feeding him, like Denisenko

How do you think Kravstov could fair with a guy like Chytil as his Center?

Is he destined to stay on RW? He is a Left-handed shot so I wasn't sure if he moved around much or was put on that wing due to a cluster.

I hope he stays. I absolutely love off hand wingers. Opens up the ice for so many more shots. I always played my best on my off wing back in the day, so i have a soft spot for that skill set.

 

[Lays]

Reports (and limited footage I have seen) indicate he has worked well with a good Center feeding him, like Denisenko

How do you think Kravstov could fair with a guy like Chytil as his Center?

Is he destined to stay on RW? He is a Left-handed shot so I wasn't sure if he moved around much or was put on that wing due to a cluster.

He doesn’t really need a C feeding him. He’s a line driver in the future not a complimentary player. I don’t know if Chytil-Kravtsov would work well because they are both puck carriers. I think Chytil would work much better with Wahlstrom. I think Kravtsov would work well with Howden, don’t see him and Lias working great either because Lias is more of a goal scorer.