Prospect Info: 2018 NHL Draft / Pick #9 - Vitali Kravtsov (RW) - Part VII

[ElLeetch]

This guy said at the time of his return to Russia that his parents are his biggest problem - his agent tried to convince him that it was just a minor, temporary development stop in Hartford but his parents kept telling him he was too good to play in the minor leagues and he should return to the KHL. Well, if that's the case, then getting demoted back home might finally get him to listen to better advice.

We need to get this kid a lawyer, and a separation from his parents.

 

[wolfgaze]

Dude at BSB....if hes right...he probably needs to get away from the bad influences in Russia.

His whole hockey-playing life, all he’s heard is how great he is and how he’s destined for greatness. Not making the NHL club out of camp was the first adversity the kid ever had to deal with. He was not able to handle this due to being extremely immature. Now couple that with parents that were barking that he should come back b/c he’s better than the AHL, this was recipe for disaster. His coming over was mutual. The Rangers FO wanted him to come over and Krav had been saying since he was drafted he wanted to come over. I know many here felt he should have made the team out of camp, myself being one of them, but from a VERY close source to Krav, he wasn’t physically ready for North American game. Panarin himself told him that he needs to have some "push-back" in his game in order to be successful in the NHL. Sending him to the AHL for a period of time to get better acclimated to this style was not viewed as setback or demotion but more as a short step in his development. The only one who viewed this negatively was Krav himself and he sulked in Hartford and mentally checked out. This VERY close source has said the kid has simply been getting horrible advice. The FO and his agent tried to convince him to stay and did for a very short period of time but eventually, Krav listened to said "bad advice" and went back which was his right. I’m not sure what has happened over in mother Russia and I’m trying to find out more but if I had to guess, this could be a result of this kid being extremely immature and having smoke blown up his ass his whole hockey-playing life and is just not equipped to handle any adversity.

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

This guy said at the time of his return to Russia that his parents are his biggest problem - his agent tried to convince him that it was just a minor, temporary development stop in Hartford but his parents kept telling him he was too good to play in the minor leagues and he should return to the KHL. Well, if that's the case, then getting demoted back home might finally get him to listen to better advice.

Thanks for posting this....

 

[nyr2k2]

You're right he definitely wasn't ready.

In preseason I remember him scoring a tap in goal, turning the puck over and looking weak, and recording something alarming like four shots in four games or whatever. I mean there were definitely glimpses there, but if the guy's name was Vince Kauffman, third round pick who just finished his junior career in North Bay, no one would have been talking about him making the club based off of his play.

 

[Inferno]

I know Brooks says he did, and maybe he is correct, but I don't know why he would/should have "almost" made the team. His play in the exhibition slate wasn't very good. If he didn't come with a lot of fanfare, and maybe the expectation that he would make the team, I don't know if anyone would have been making a case for him to be on the final roster. He clearly wasn't ready. IMO, anyway.

This.

 

[kovazub94]

Blaming the Rangers on this situation for drafting Kravstov to begin with is a new, fun spin from the HF Ruskies.

Not all Ruskies. On the other hand we also heard “don’t draft Ruskies in the first round” too.

 

[offdacrossbar]

im less concerned about his lack of being ready on the ice. i mean the kid is very raw- and he clearly was not ready.

but im really concerned about the bad advice hes been getting and his general lack of maturity and overall failure to see that he wasnt very good. ever. when he was here.

were i he, i would come back here- speak with fil and mimic what he did when he was sent down.

weve established that heading back home wasnt the right play.

eat your crow served as you prefer, and get to work kid. stop being a primadona.

 

[Riche16]

I mean I think we all want him back here but will the results (on ice I mean) be ANY different? Has he turned a corner in his play after running back home AND THEN being demoted?

I just don't see how that would've rapidly matured him and it certainly doesn't sound like he's been playing fantastic hockey.

I hope he comes back and PROVES he deserves to be in Hartford... forget Manhattan for now.

 

[bobbop]

Not the first 19 year old in a strange country having trouble figuring things out.

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

Not the first 19 year old in a strange country having trouble figuring things out.

Shoot forget the foreign country unfortunately he isnt even figuring it out in his OWN. Fingers crossed he can look back and laugh in a few years while at an all star game with kakko, ada, trouba, zib and panarin.

Man I gotta start drinking more. This delusional fantasy stuff rules

 

[CasusBelli]

Dude at BSB....if hes right...he probably needs to get away from the bad influences in Russia.

His whole hockey-playing life, all he’s heard is how great he is and how he’s destined for greatness. Not making the NHL club out of camp was the first adversity the kid ever had to deal with. He was not able to handle this due to being extremely immature. Now couple that with parents that were barking that he should come back b/c he’s better than the AHL, this was recipe for disaster. His coming over was mutual. The Rangers FO wanted him to come over and Krav had been saying since he was drafted he wanted to come over. I know many here felt he should have made the team out of camp, myself being one of them, but from a VERY close source to Krav, he wasn’t physically ready for North American game. Panarin himself told him that he needs to have some "push-back" in his game in order to be successful in the NHL. Sending him to the AHL for a period of time to get better acclimated to this style was not viewed as setback or demotion but more as a short step in his development. The only one who viewed this negatively was Krav himself and he sulked in Hartford and mentally checked out. This VERY close source has said the kid has simply been getting horrible advice. The FO and his agent tried to convince him to stay and did for a very short period of time but eventually, Krav listened to said "bad advice" and went back which was his right. I’m not sure what has happened over in mother Russia and I’m trying to find out more but if I had to guess, this could be a result of this kid being extremely immature and having smoke blown up his ass his whole hockey-playing life and is just not equipped to handle any adversity.

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

This guy said at the time of his return to Russia that his parents are his biggest problem - his agent tried to convince him that it was just a minor, temporary development stop in Hartford but his parents kept telling him he was too good to play in the minor leagues and he should return to the KHL. Well, if that's the case, then getting demoted back home might finally get him to listen to better advice.

Oh god. One of those ...

Quinn: “V, you have to watch the turnovers, and don’t be afraid to shoot. Don’t get fancy; you take the shot when you have it. Now finish the drill!”

VK: “But mama said I was perfect. I’m not listening to you! You’re mean. I want to go back to Russia.”

 

[SouthernRanger]

I don't think it's just the player, I think it's the player + whatever adults he already has in his ear/corner/etc. This makes me feel bad but it's possible he was the least involved of anyone. Either way there's probably a goofy amount of miscommunications involved in this situation.

You’re probably correct since parents and agents are a big part of this process. I’m still of the opinion though that the closer Kravtsov is to the organization the better it is for him to develop considering recent events.

 

[17futurecap]

Hopefully he comes back, each side airs their shit out to each other, find some common ground, and go to work.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Not sure what to think of Yurzinov's comments regarding Kravtsov. If it's a conditioning issue, it would explain the demotion and it would tie in with what I initially thought. He struggles to keep up with the team after missing pre-season and camp. The coming weeks will determine what will happen with him.

 

[usekakkorightquinn]

Again, the Rangers did nothing wrong. His game sucked. Period. He's lazy. He doesn't work hard defensively. He floats around the ice. He's physically weak for his size. He needed to shut his mouth, do what he was told by the AHL coach and learn how to play NHL style hockey. Instead, he thought he was a a star when he was crap. Chytil accomplished 10 times more as a rookie than this clown did in the pre-season and took his demotion this year like a man, worked his butt off and is now a regular on the team.

When I look at Crapsov I see Nichushkin part 2. Rangers would be very wise to move on from this kid now while he still has value.

 

[nyr2k2]

I don't understand the conditioning aspect. He was here working out early. He played TC. He did camp with us. He played the exhibition games. He started in Hartford. I know KHL camps are KILLER apparently, but it's not like he was slumming around. He was probably more active and engaged than most of our players, so conditioning shouldn't really be an issue unless he wasn't actually working hard. I can understand needing to adapt to a system but if after all the training he did before the season he's still out of shape, at 19 no less, that's concerning.

 

[DutchNYR]

Again, the Rangers did nothing wrong.
His game sucked.
Period.
He's lazy.
He doesn't work hard defensively.
He floats around the ice.
He's physically weak for his size.
He needed to shut his mouth
do what he was told
by the AHL coach
and learn how to play
NHL style hockey.
Instead, he thought he was a a star
when he was crap.
Chytil accomplished 10 times more
as a rookie
than this clown did in the pre-season
and took his demotion this year
like a man
worked his butt off
and is now a regular on the team.
When I look at Crapsov
I see Nichushkin part 2.
Rangers would be very wise
to move on from this kid
now while he still has value.

This poetry is lit, my boy.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

I don't understand the conditioning aspect. He was here working out early. He played TC. He did camp with us. He played the exhibition games. He started in Hartford. I know KHL camps are KILLER apparently, but it's not like he was slumming around. He was probably more active and engaged than most of our players, so conditioning shouldn't really be an issue unless he wasn't actually working hard. I can understand needing to adapt to a system but if after all the training he did before the season he's still out of shape, at 19 no less, that's concerning.

He moved from the US back to Russia in the middle of the season. Did not practice for a week, did not play a game for 2 weeks. That affects conditioning

 

[nyr2k2]

He moved from the US back to Russia in the middle of the season. Did not practice for a week, did not play a game for 2 weeks. That affects conditioning

I mean, okay. But it should undo all the conditioning that led to that point, and then the practice that he did do and the 12 games that he did play play should help catch him up to speed. Guys miss 2-3 weeks all the time and come back without a conditioning stint looking no worse for wear. Much older guys that you'd think would actually need a conditioning stint. Seems like a weak excuse.

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

My initial thought is the conditioning bit is just the coach bring diplomatic. Notmany coaches want to throw promising prospects under the bus by saying "well hes unproductive, sucks, is uncoachable and we're tired of his mom yelling at us"

Conditioning after all this time and this many games doesn't sound right although it does immediately call to mind the heart rate snafu... like AK said it could be true for several reasons too

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

I mean, okay. But it should undo all the conditioning that led to that point, and then the practice that he did do and the 12 games that he did play play should help catch him up to speed. Guys miss 2-3 weeks all the time and come back without a conditioning stint looking no worse for wear. Much older guys that you'd think would actually need a conditioning stint. Seems like a weak excuse.

I am not arguing whether or not it's a valid excuse, but the coach said that is the reason he was sent down and I can understand the impact of moving countries. That's all.

 

[nyr2k2]

I am not arguing whether or not it's a valid excuse, but the coach said that is the reason he was sent down and I can understand the impact of moving countries. That's all.

Also, he last played in the AHL on the 19th and then was back playing in the KHL on the 30th. So he went 10 days without a game which is hardly a big deal. And then we're assuming he didn't practice at all between the 19th and the 25th, and that once he got back he didn't skate or practice even once before playing for Traktor. It all seems like a really bad excuse.

Coaches say lots of things, particularly to avoid directly criticizing players. It is what it is. If his conditioning suffered so much that AFTER what was likely a week layoff, and AFTER playing in 11 KHL and 1 VHL games, again, that seems problematic.

 

[Barnaby]

He moved from the US back to Russia in the middle of the season. Did not practice for a week, did not play a game for 2 weeks. That affects conditioning

I wouldn’t think you’d lose so much in 1-2 weeks that you couldn’t get back up to speed in practice and maybe get eased in with ice time. Zibanejad was just out for a long time... you didn’t see him in Hartford doing a conditioning stint. I’m not saying you’re wrong, but it does seem a bit off to me.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

I wouldn’t think you’d lose so much in 1-2 weeks that you couldn’t get back up to speed in practice and maybe get eased in with ice time. Zibanejad was just out for a long time... you didn’t see him in Hartford doing a conditioning stint. I’m not saying you’re wrong, but it does seem a bit off to me.

It does, but it's all we have now. We don't have any other reports and his parents aren't saying anything either

 

[RGY]

Again, the Rangers did nothing wrong. His game sucked. Period. He's lazy. He doesn't work hard defensively. He floats around the ice. He's physically weak for his size. He needed to shut his mouth, do what he was told by the AHL coach and learn how to play NHL style hockey. Instead, he thought he was a a star when he was crap. Chytil accomplished 10 times more as a rookie than this clown did in the pre-season and took his demotion this year like a man, worked his butt off and is now a regular on the team.

When I look at Crapsov I see Nichushkin part 2. Rangers would be very wise to move on from this kid now while he still has value.

Oh now we’re calling a 19 year old kid “Crapsov”? Very childish.

How about we relax with the overreaction and the exaggeration. This kid has a lot of raw talent and ability. Like most kids, he needs to fill out physically, he needs to learn to play defensively, he needs to be engaged. That’s most kids when they try to jump to the NHL level. He is no different than anyone else. We saw it with Chytil last year. He needed to get stronger and become more engaged. He did get bigger but he didn’t implement in preseason. Went down to Hartford and fixed it. But this is his D+3 year. Buchnevich had the same issues. Physically weak along the boards, easily knocked down, easily knocked off the puck. Howden is going through it right now. Kid is constantly knocked on his ass, he loses a majority of the physical battles.

Let’s not label a 19 year old kid and have the chips fall where they may.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Oh now we’re calling a 19 year old kid “Crapsov”? Very childish.

How about we relax with the overreaction and the exaggeration. This kid has a lot of raw talent and ability. Like most kids, he needs to fill out physically, he needs to learn to play defensively, he needs to be engaged. That’s most kids when they try to jump to the NHL level. He is no different than anyone else. We saw it with Chytil last year. He needed to get stronger and become more engaged. He did get bigger but he didn’t implement in preseason. Went down to Hartford and fixed it. But this is his D+3 year. Buchnevich had the same issues. Physically weak along the boards, easily knocked down, easily knocked off the puck. Howden is going through it right now. Kid is constantly knocked on his ass, he loses a majority of the physical battles.

Let’s not label a 19 year old kid and have the chips fall where they may.

I don't think tradenashnow/wenevergetagoodcoach is going to stop being childish any time soon