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

[Amazing Kreiderman]

 

[nyr2k2]

Wow.

First, I think there was a bit more nuance to the criticism of his decision to leave than simply "he needs to grow up."

Second, some of these things he says. He really thought he was deserving of a call up late in the season? Did he watch himself play in Hartford? He was not ready. I honestly don't know how anyone could watch him in Hartford and think he was ready for NHL action, let alone on a team trying to make the playoffs. Did he improve? Yes, for sure. Not that much, though. Who was he displacing? If we stuck him on the fourth line he'd probably complain about not understanding why.

Then he says, "The team told me they see me in their plans for the next 10 years, and then I am told I am not ready for the NHL. I don’t understand." If he doesn't understand the difference between being in the team's long term plans and being ready right now, well, then he really needs to find a better translator because that's absurd.

"A huge challenge for me is to get that call up from the Rangers to finish the season. I have a great great desire to play, to go out on the ice and help the team. I want to speak with an agent before leaving to clearly understand if they count on me." What does this mean? Does this mean he only wants to come back if he will play?

Also, Steve, some of your editorializing makes me LOL. "It seems odd that people were looking for more enthusiasm on a pre-season goal and made something out of nothing." He's a big boy, he doesn't need you to defend him in the middle of your interview write-up! If you editorialize like that, you can't ever criticize Larry Brooks again.

I wish I didn't read this. This kid gives me bad vibes.

 

[UnSandvich]

Wow.

First, I think there was a bit more nuance to the criticism of his decision to leave than simply "he needs to grow up."

Second, some of these things he says. He really thought he was deserving of a call up late in the season? Did he watch himself play in Hartford? He was not ready. I honestly don't know how anyone could watch him in Hartford and think he was ready for NHL action, let alone on a team trying to make the playoffs. Did he improve? Yes, for sure. Not that much, though. Who was he displacing? If we stuck him on the fourth line he'd probably complain about not understanding why.

Then he says, "The team told me they see me in their plans for the next 10 years, and then I am told I am not ready for the NHL. I don’t understand." If he doesn't understand the difference between being in the team's long term plans and being ready right now, well, then he really needs to find a better translator because that's absurd.

"A huge challenge for me is to get that call up from the Rangers to finish the season. I have a great great desire to play, to go out on the ice and help the team. I want to speak with an agent before leaving to clearly understand if they count on me." What does this mean? Does this mean he only wants to come back if he will play?

Also, Steve, some of your editorializing makes me LOL. "It seems odd that people were looking for more enthusiasm on a pre-season goal and made something out of nothing." He's a big boy, he doesn't need you to defend him in the middle of your interview write-up! If you editorialize like that, you can't ever criticize Larry Brooks again.

I wish I didn't read this. This kid gives me bad vibes.

"A huge challenge for me is to get that call up from the Rangers to finish the season. I have a great great desire to play, to go out on the ice and help the team. I want to speak with an agent before leaving to clearly understand if they count on me." What does this mean? Does this mean he only wants to come back if he will play?

Busy, so don't have time to read the article rn, but given the fact that US COVID numbers are headed in a very wrong direction, i can't blame him for wanting to be cautious with coming over

 

[Tawnos]

"The team told me they see me in their plans for the next 10 years, and then I am told I am not ready for the NHL. I don’t understand."

That quote sounds like the exact difference between talking to the front office and talking to the coaches.

 

[nyr2k2]

"A huge challenge for me is to get that call up from the Rangers to finish the season. I have a great great desire to play, to go out on the ice and help the team. I want to speak with an agent before leaving to clearly understand if they count on me." What does this mean? Does this mean he only wants to come back if he will play?

Busy, so don't have time to read the article rn, but given the fact that US COVID numbers are headed in a very wrong direction, i can't blame him for wanting to be cautious with coming over

COVID came up later, doesn't sound like this was part of COVID concerns. On COVID, the quote was: "Sometimes what is shown in the media, and what is actually happening, varies significantly. You have to go back and see for yourself. But there is no fear." So, I don't think it's that.

And reinforcing my concern over what I had in bold is what Steve wrote: "Kravtsov is ready. He says that if there’s even the slightest chance he will play, he will get on that plane and fly to New York. If it’s just to see if he has matured, he does not see the point in traveling all that way." Those are Steve's words, so I don't know if Kravtsov said them directly, but if he did, I don't like that. He seems to not understand that he's not going to be handed a spot on the NHL roster and that he has to earn it.

Like I said, the kid just gives off bad vibes, to me. Anyway, I probably just did the equivalent of throwing a bunch of rocks at a hornet's nest, so I will see myself out.

 

[UnSandvich]

COVID came up later, doesn't sound like this was part of COVID concerns. On COVID, the quote was: "Sometimes what is shown in the media, and what is actually happening, varies significantly. You have to go back and see for yourself. But there is no fear." So, I don't think it's that.

And reinforcing my concern over what I had in bold is what Steve wrote: "Kravtsov is ready. He says that if there’s even the slightest chance he will play, he will get on that plane and fly to New York. If it’s just to see if he has matured, he does not see the point in traveling all that way." Those are Steve's words, so I don't know if Kravtsov said them directly, but if he did, I don't like that. He seems to not understand that he's not going to be handed a spot on the NHL roster and that he has to earn it.

Like I said, the kid just gives off bad vibes, to me. Anyway, I probably just did the equivalent of throwing a bunch of rocks at a hornet's nest, so I will see myself out.

"He seems to not understand that he's not going to be handed a spot on the NHL roster and that he has to earn it." Well yeah, he's not Brett Howden lol

Thanks for adding the clarification though

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Ugh.

 

[B17 Apricots]

Not much to see here tbh

 

[GAGLine]

I'm going to refrain from making judgments, but I have to admit, that interview is worrisome.

 

[GAGLine]

We need Panarin to take this kid under his wing.

 

[Kakko Schmakko]

Russian newspaper trying to instigate him leaving NHL for KHL perhaps?

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

I'm not going to take much from his quotes, but for real the team needs to get it's shit figured out in terms of communication with these kids.

The situation with Lias and the potential for one here does not reflect well

 

[UnSandvich]

Someone on Facebook is saying that per Kravtsov's instagram story, he's back in NY. I have no idea how to instagram or anything, so i can't verify that lol

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

I would also point out there was a solid chance he would have been called up to play a few games should the rest of the regular season played out, so while I understand he's saying, I don't think he should consider it a slight against him

Someone on Facebook is saying that per Kravtsov's instagram story, he's back in NY. I have no idea how to instagram or anything, so i can't verify that lol

Yeah he posted a video of filming the NY skyline so it would appear he is back

 

[NYSPORTS]

I'm going to refrain from making judgments, but I have to admit, that interview is worrisome.

i’ve said it many times. Hartford is not a great place for a young guy and the Rangers need to take care of these kids. To know he’s living alone is problem. Kids his age are in college living, socializing, etc together. This kid is alone (although some here think that’s not an issue).

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Russian newspaper trying to instigate him leaving NHL for KHL perhaps?

No

 

[nyr2k2]

i’ve said it many times. Hartford is not a great place for a young guy and the Rangers need to take care of these kids. To know he’s living alone is problem. Kids his age are in college living, socializing, etc together. This kid is alone (although some here think that’s not an issue).

He can still socialize while living alone. If we're relating it to college, my first year away my roommate literally was out two or three nights during the week and went home every weekend. I saw him for maybe an hour each week. I basically lived alone. I actually thought it was cool, I could do what I wanted without worrying about a roommate.

Simply living by yourself, that doesn't mean there's no support system there. A vast majority of guys, regardless of age or where they're from, don't seem to have a problem. I don't know. I don't know what it is.

 

[Uncle Dru]

Welp, he's confident...that's good

 

[nyr2k2]

«Все вокруг улыбались, а потом отношение ко мне резко изменилось». В «Рейнджерс» заявили, что россиянину нужно повзрослеть

Here's the Russian article.

I read this, and I don't know. Everything is, "No one said anything to me." Or, "I didn't understand it." Or, some variation on him not having any idea why anything is happening, no one ever communicates with him, and things are unfair. He seems to feel his treatment at Traktor was unfair, that he was being held to a different standard. The interviewer even kind of presses him on his sensitivity with social media and the fact that as the ninth pick, expectations are different.

I know it's a translation but still, I don't like any of it.

 

[Leetch3]

I'm not going to take much from his quotes, but for real the team needs to get it's shit figured out in terms of communication with these kids.

The situation with Lias and the potential for one here does not reflect well

but is it really lack of communication from the team or young players refusing to listen to what they don't want to hear?

when people say that kravtsov needs to mature as a player and his take away is 'but i cook my own dinner' I don't eve know where to go from there.

to me this is the exact same situation as lias. a kid who clearly isn't ready or good enough for the nhl yet who thinks he is better than he is, didn't get his way and threw a temper tantrum and went home. only differnce is kravtsov came back cause he wasn't getting playing time in the khl either

 

[Thirty One]

delete this pls

 

[Kakko Schmakko]

i’ve said it many times. Hartford is not a great place for a young guy and the Rangers need to take care of these kids. To know he’s living alone is problem. Kids his age are in college living, socializing, etc together. This kid is alone (although some here think that’s not an issue).

I totally agree it is not normal that Europeans come to Hartford completely not able to produce and run away, it is not normal how many decent prospects instead of being given more icetime and developed are simply discarded to ECHL.

 

[Kakko Schmakko]

No

no based on what? You watch a lot of Russian TV?

 

[Thirty One]

Yeah, I'm really hoping that was a tough translation.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

no based on what? You watch a lot of Russian TV?

It's just an interview, literally quoting what he said. I've actually been on Russian TV