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

[ColonialsHockey10]

It’s just preseason but it’s important that he solidifies himself a top 6 role early on, so glad to see him justifying it thus far.

 

[haveandare]

Please enlighten us what should golies be doing when Kravtsov does a little shake to the open blade side? This goalie probably still remembers Kravtsov's goal to his stick side.

Take it easy. I'm just saying he tends to go five hole more than most, you'd think a goalie would be somewhat prepared.

 

[kovazub94]

Take it easy. I'm just saying he tends to go five hole more than most, you'd think a goalie would be somewhat prepared.

Sorry if sounded offensive but it wasn’t meant to. It is just a really tough ask from a goalie to cover it against someone who has the precision and timing shown by Kravtsov.

Edit: Also if this is a goalie who let in Kravtsov’s first goal, or even otherwise paid attention to its development, had to react when Kravtsov put the puck on the front of his stick blade after a little dangle. So goalie took the bait.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Sorry if sounded offensive but it wasn’t meant to. It is just a really tough ask from a goalie to cover it against someone who has the precision and timing shown by Kravtsov.

Edit: Also if this is a goalie who let in Kravtsov’s first goal, or even otherwise paid attention to its development, had to react when Kravtsov the puck on the front of his stick blade after a little dangle. So goalie took the bait.

That's the thing.

If the goalie bites, Kravtsov goes 5-hole
If the goalie waits, Kravtsov picks a corner with that quick wrister

 

[Rongomania]

That's the thing.

If the goalie bites, Kravtsov goes 5-hole
If the goalie waits, Kravtsov picks a corner with that quick wrister

Great shot. Excited about this kid and to watch his development this season. He could be so huge for us.

 

[Thordic]

Grachev was a miss but @Pavel Buchnevich probably uses him as an example for his "no Russians from the CHL" stance

Grachev was a good pick though. He didn't pan out but with his size and skillset that's a solid pick in the 3rd round. Were there better players available in hindsight? Sure. But anyone who says that was a bad pick is out of their mind.

 

[Edge]

Grachev was a good pick though. He didn't pan out but with his size and skillset that's a solid pick in the 3rd round. Were there better players available in hindsight? Sure. But anyone who says that was a bad pick is out of their mind.

Also an example of it being better to wait until all the checks clear before tallying up a draft haul.

The 2008 was a solid draft for the Rangers, but there was a time when it looked like those first round rounds were doing to be particularly bountiful with MDZ, Stepan and Grachev all on their way.

 

[Zibanejbread]

Another goal... ho hum.



Also, his positional awareness to find the open space was great on the whole offensive sequence.

 

[Rongomania]

Another goal... ho hum.



Also, his positional awareness to find the open space was great on the whole offensive sequence.

Absolutely f***ing wicked

 

[TheTakedown]

Another goal... ho hum.



Also, his positional awareness to find the open space was great on the whole offensive sequence.

Hot damn, kid has some fantastic awareness

 

[Levitate]

that was some nice passing by his linemates too

 

[GeorgeKaplan]

Again, don’t give him half a second alone in the slot, and every goalie is Biron. Also before the goal he had some good individual work to split two players to create a good chance for himself. Keep this kid’s confidence up and he’s going to be something special

 

[mrmovies779]

That was 1 sick pass leading to an even sicker shot.

 

[Fvital92]

He's been amazing in this game.

 

[Kshahdoo]

Btw, 1st Magnitogorsk goal was scored by Pavel Dorofeyev, who's a late 2000 kid and 2019 draft eligible. It's his 2nd goal for Magnitogorsk this preseason, not bad for a 17 yo kid, I'd say... My bad, that was his 3rd goal this preseason.

 

[LaffyTaffy]

Gynge with a hat trick, that top line has scored every goal except for Kravtsov's.

 

[Mugless]

Also take note of who wins the puck on the face off. Not earth-shattering, but a nifty little play.

 

[doomscroll]

If Kravtsov can stay healthy this season (not to say he’s injury-prone, but IIRC he broke his wrist last season) then I would think that the expectation for him would be to be somewhere the range of production that Kuznetsov had in his D+1 season (32 pts in 44 games). That would mean he would have to compile 2x as many points as he did over 51 games last year, but if he gets adequate ice-time and maintains some consistency then I don’t see why he wouldn’t be able to find a healthy-medium between his regular-season and post-season performance.

I don’t want to exclusively compare Kravtsov to Kuznetsov, primarily for the sake of keeping expectations tempered, but if this season goes well then I can see Kravtsov getting serious consideration as one of the best prospects outside the NHL. With a cohort of similar players as exclusive as his, it is hard not to get excited about the massive potential here.

It’s obviously only the pre-season we’re seeing here, but the fact that Kravtsov seems to have a considerable level of control in these scoring plays - in conflation with his ability to elevate his play in the post-season - leads me to think that these displays will be replicable to some extent going forward.

 

[ColonialsHockey10]

The opposing team’s jerseys may be the ugliest I’ve ever seen.

Gorgeous sequence from our guy though.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

The opposing team’s jerseys may be the ugliest I’ve ever seen.

Gorgeous sequence from our guy though.

The new Traktor jerseys are a bit weird as well, with the mustard stains.

 

[Synergy27]

Absolutely f***ing wicked

People (not you) will continue to downplay this kid because the goalies look bad when he's shooting on them. I wish these folks would take a step back and realize that he's making the goalies look bad with his deceptiveness and release, both of which are insane. This is an extreme positive being viewed as a negative by too many people.

 

[Edge]

I don't really know who is downplaying the kid.

There are several prospects in our organization that I think we undervalue a bit more, but I wouldn't consider Kravtsov among them.

 

[Rongomania]

People (not you) will continue to downplay this kid because the goalies look bad when he's shooting on them. I wish these folks would take a step back and realize that he's making the goalies look bad with his deceptiveness and release, both of which are insane. This is an extreme positive being viewed as a negative by too many people.

I don't really know who is downplaying the kid.

There are several prospects in our organization that I think we undervalue a bit more, but I wouldn't consider Kravtsov among them.

@Synergy27 - I feel you. Not in here so much, but elsewhere, I’ve heard him downplayed. I’m glad he’s come out strong this season, it’s nice for him to stick it to anyone who has doubts.

@Edge - I haven’t read too much ‘hate’ on this kid in here, but again, I’ve def heard him downplayed.

You’re 100% right that there are quite a few other kids in our system who are downplayed a helluva lot more and that is fact.

 

[Synergy27]

I don't really know who is downplaying the kid.

There are several prospects in our organization that I think we undervalue a bit more, but I wouldn't consider Kravtsov among them.

There was quite a bit of concern voiced in the previous Kravtsov thread essentially stating that these 5 hole goals won't beat NHL goalies. I think those folks are really misreading the situation.

 

[Kovalev27]

That's the thing.

If the goalie bites, Kravtsov goes 5-hole
If the goalie waits, Kravtsov picks a corner with that quick wrister

Actually other way around.

If the goalie goes down early he’ll go to a corner. If a goalie stays up and waits a bit to long the five hole stays open. He’s abusing them that way for sure.