Prospect Info: Vitali Kravtsov: Part IX

[Ratelleitlikeitis]

I don’t think the team even sure what the plan is. He could do the whole year and still play half the nhl season so I would be ok w either or .....I don’t want to rush him he needs a great confidence building season

Which is why I have difficulty with posters listing him in their seasonal line combos and expecting big results from him. Who was a better player entering the league...Buch or Kravs?

 

[Odie Cleghorn]

Does anyone think Kravtsov can play centre? I want to see a line of Lafreniere - Kravtsov - Kakko as I have them all in my keeper pool.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Does anyone think Kravtsov can play centre? I want to see a line of Lafreniere - Kravtsov - Kakko as I have them all in my keeper pool.

@Kovalev27

 

[EdJovanovski]

Does anyone think Kravtsov can play centre? I want to see a line of Lafreniere - Kravtsov - Kakko as I have them all in my keeper pool.

Yes, looked good at center in the WJC. He's a smooth skater with great vision & hands, plays a lot like Pettersson. Lafreniere did mention being open to playing center so we'll see but if I had to bet on one of those 3 becoming a center it's Kravtsov

 

[Thirty One]

Does anyone think Kravtsov can play centre? I want to see a line of Lafreniere - Kravtsov - Kakko as I have them all in my keeper pool.

Yes they are segments of the fan base that thinks each one of those should be a center.

 

[Odie Cleghorn]

Yes they are segments of the fan base that thinks each one of those should be a center.

I know bernmeister thinks Kravtsov can. They probably wouldn't be on the same line right away but hopefully they eventually make up a great line. And all 3 are well over 6' tall.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

I know bernmeister thinks Kravtsov can. They probably wouldn't be on the same line right away but hopefully they eventually make up a great line. And all 3 are well over 6' tall.

You're new so you probably don't know this but anything bernmeister says the opposite is true.

 

[Odie Cleghorn]

You're new so you probably don't know this but anything bernmeister says the opposite is true.

I know. That's why asked if anyone else thought that.

 

[RangersFan1994]

I think Kraftsov or Lafreniere will get any opportunity to play center, Kravtsov has did this in their past at the recent WJC he was in on a line with Klim Kostin I believe

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

I think Kraftsov or Lafreniere will get any opportunity to play center, Kravtsov has did this in their past at the recent WJC he was in on a line with Klim Kostin I believe

Few better way for a young player to get acclimated to playing in the NHL than to play them out of position.

 

[EdJovanovski]

Few better way for a young player to get acclimated to playing in the NHL than to play them out of position.

The guy in your signature was drafted as a LW and transferred to Center in the NHL

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

The guy in your signature was drafted as a LW and transferred to Center in the NHL

Ok. He also didn’t start his pro career in the NHL.

 

[JCProdigy]

Ok. He also didn’t start his pro career in the NHL.

Neither did Kravtsov.

 

[JC704]

Does anyone think Kravtsov can play centre? I want to see a line of Lafreniere - Kravtsov - Kakko as I have them all in my keeper pool.

I think based on what the Rangers have, which is an abundance of talent on the wings, Kravtsov's skillset would be much better utilized at C. He's a good scorer, but I think his better attributes are:

- Passing (he appears more playmaker than sniper)
- His size and reach (6-foot-3, with room to add strength)
- He's already a solid backchecker

Wouldn't necessarily call him a "good two-way player," but when you watch him, you definitely see the gears turning. The hockey IQ/sense to play C is there, and he played C for Russia at World Juniors. I think long term there is a better chance he ends up at 2C or possibly 1C than Chytil does IMO.

I hate making the lazy comparison, but he really has a lot of Kuznetsov to his game. If you put him at C and he fully develops, he would be an assist machine. Would be dynamite between Panarin and Kakko, or Laf and Kakko.

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

Neither did Kravtsov.

You’re exactly right - thanks for pointing that out. So let’s add a transition to the North American life/culture/game to it.

 

[kovazub94]

The guy in your signature was drafted as a LW and transferred to Center in the NHL

Let’s use hall of famer as an example.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Let’s use hall of famer as an example.

Adam Graves isn't in the HHOF

 

[dshea19]

In my very unprofessional opinion, I really do see a lot of C in Kravtsov's game. I think on larger ice, wing is fine for him since there is more room, though the KHL seems to have adjusted that. However, in the NHL, I think he would have more room at C. He thinks the game very well and just seems to play as a C when he is on the wing anyway. Granted, C in the NHL is a different beast, but when I saw him play in Charlotte, I thought the entire time that he was being wasted on the wing.

In a pure fantasy scenario, I would be a little concerned about a line of Kravtsov-Laf-Kakko though. I would be afraid it would almost be as bad as having Zuc-Brassard-Stepan as a line. I used to joke that the three of them would fail to register a single shot on a 3-0 breakaway. Playmakers need shooters.

 

[Lion Hound]

You're new so you probably don't know this but anything bernmeister says the opposite is true.

Even if he could play C he would be behind Boo Nieves on the depth chart.

 

[JCProdigy]

You’re exactly right - thanks for pointing that out. So let’s add a transition to the North American life/culture/game to it.

I think we'll agree on this: When it comes to any of the possible position changes that fans have brought up (Kravtsov/Lafreniere to C, Kreider to RW, Fox/ADA to LD), I trust that the brass have already thought of these possibilities and would make the necessary changes if they thought it would benefit the team and player going forward. I have not seen anything reported that would suggest that they are closed to such moves based on principle and I wouldn't pretend to know more than them on player positional evaluation, so I'm satisfied either way.

 

[nyr2k2]

Not in the pregame lineup.

 

[bl02]

Not in the pregame lineup.

Sucks if he doesn't play today. Probably won't play until sunday then. I wonder if he even went on the road trip with the team?

 

[kovazub94]

Not in the pregame lineup.

Yup. Team website uploaded a short video from yesterday's practice in Kazan and I didn't see him there either - looks like he didn't travel with the team on this road trip.

Traktor's next home game is this Sunday, October 18.

 

[kovazub94]

Sucks if he doesn't play today. Probably won't play until sunday then. I wonder if he even went on the road trip with the team?

Looks like he didn't.

P.S. To be honest, I'm surprised that there's absolutely no update (either from Traktor or the Rangers for that matter) and the original news didn't have any details on the timeline. One thing we could assume is that there's no need for surgery - surely something like this would've been mentioned.

 

[bl02]

Looks like he didn't.

I guess the KHL is as tight lipped as the NHL?! All we know is lower body injury and looks like he hasn't even practiced.