Larry Brooks: Vitaly Kravtsov headed back to the KHL

[RangerBlues]

Hes sensitive.
Typical millennial.

 

[MyLoveIsBlue]

But it is not NYC. It is Hartford.

A quick google search shows a 48/100 on its livability score.

On my one trip to Hartford for a wedding, We did a quick walk around the city to the liquor store and the only thing noticable were the amount of homeless people.

Hartford is a toilet.

 

[nyr2k2]

Hartford itself is a dump, but the surrounding areas are pretty nice. But who cares? There are plenty of AHL teams in less-than-ideal markets.

 

[Oscar Lindberg]

The team probably f***ed up not giving him some sort of support system there

I wonder how Shestyorkin and Rykov are handling it on a personal level

 

[Irishguy42]

I wonder how Shestyorkin and Rykov are handling it on a personal level

Shesty seems to be doing fine. Understands what's needed to be done.

Rykov...well...he's got plenty of time to adapt to NA while waiting on his cyborg ankle to arrive and be implanted.

 

[nyr2k2]

I don't even think Rykov is in Hartford. He's probably rehabbing in NY. They can't send him down to Hartford until he's healthy.

 

[Mikos87]

Looks like the Kravtsov fiasco has opened some eyes within the Rangers’ brass.

It's good that they're doing that.

That is what you call a savvy PR piece by the MSG.

Great job on the story.

 

[kovazub94]

The team probably ****ed up not giving him some sort of support system there

I wonder how Shestyorkin and Rykov are handling it on a personal level

Shesterkin lives with his girlfriend who speaks fluent English and seems very adaptable. Shesterkin’s personality also seems pretty stoic (surprise, surprise for a goalie). Rykov is older.

 

[kovazub94]

It's good that they're doing that.

That is what you call a savvy PR piece by the MSG.

Great job on the story.

Interesting angle.

 

[kovazub94]

I don't even think Rykov is in Hartford. He's probably rehabbing in NY. They can't send him down to Hartford until he's healthy.

The video with Kravtsov interview also showed Rykov in what looks like a hotel room. Could be in either.

 

[Mikos87]

Interesting angle.

I'm not saying that they are doing it for PR reasons. They need to give teenage boys a support infrastructure.

You've highlighted the reasons extensively as to the life and human aspects of what those needs are.

But the story, it's timing and release -> Nice job MSG.

 

[smoneil]

Hes sensitive.
Typical millennial.

He's 19. That makes him Gen Z. The new kids are too young to be millennials. #OldManSob

 

[Irishguy42]

He's 19. That makes him Gen Z. The new kids are too young to be millennials. #OldManSob

Yeah, millennials are just about 30 years old right now, or close to it.

 

[Synergy27]

Yeah, millennials are just about 30 years old right now, or close to it.

Believe it or not, the oldest millennials are pushing forty by most accepted definitions.

 

[Inferno]

Good thing he is Russian. If his grandma was Italian, she’d break out the wooden spoon.

I'm Indian...my family used belts when you were REALLY bad...why do you think I'm so straight and narrow....and why I don't believe in hitting your kids lol.

 

[Irishguy42]

Believe it or not, the oldest millennials are pushing forty by most accepted definitions.

True, I guess the 80s does encompass "millennials"

 

[EdJovanovski]

Gen Z masterrace

 

[nyr2k2]

My wife and I are the Oregon Trail Generation. Or, Xennials. Tail end of Gen X, but too early to really be Millennials.

Analog childhood, digital adulthood, as they say.

 

[Synergy27]

My wife and I are the Oregon Trail Generation. Or, Xennials. Tail end of Gen X, but too early to really be Millennials.

Analog childhood, digital adulthood, as they say.

#metoo

Feel lucky for it as well.

 

[smoneil]

My wife and I are the Oregon Trail Generation. Or, Xennials. Tail end of Gen X, but too early to really be Millennials.

Analog childhood, digital adulthood, as they say.

Same. I call us the "Star Wars" generation. X usually stops at 1977. Millennials usually start at 1983.

I'd hate to see how Kravtsov would react to an 80s haircut #Flowbee/Bowl cut

Kids these days are traumatized too easily. They didn't have to endure the first 20 minutes of the animated Transformers movie. Destroyed my childhood innocence at the age of 5 that did, haha.

 

[Hanji]

Would we be as visceral towards said Millennial’s character (or lack thereof) if the shoe were on the other foot though?
I mean say some 19 y.o. kid from Minnesota or wherever signed with SKA, but was sent to develop in some godforsaken middle of nowhere Russian city’s VHL team without much of a support system other than ‘go learn the KHL style’.
Yea I dunno

 

[mas0764]

Hes sensitive.
Typical millennial.

I mean, without sarcasm, yeah.

I’m a pretty traditional guy but the personal responsibility crowd here is missing the picture. Their lectures about him needing to sack up are better applied to the local high schoolers in their town, because we have nothing invested in them, if they don’t get out and figure out how the world works, they are gonna sink.

Vitaly Kravtsov is an asset that the Rangers are going to do everything they can to ensure he succeeds. Toughening up may very well be something he needs to succeed in the NHL, mentally or physically, but it’s besides the point.

Kravtsov, whether he came from a well off family or not, may just be a clueless sheltered millennial. The sad fact is that more and more kids these days reach age 19 without the maturity level you would have expected from a 19 year old 20 or 30 years ago.

When I was 22 in 2005, I remember (not that I’m bragging) I drove 8 hours up the east coast to visit a grad school, stayed with friends, didn’t have a GPS, so I had to manually navigate, etc.

My youngest sister is 10 years younger than me. When she was a similar age a few years ago, I remember her saying she didn’t even want to drive out an hour by herself to visit me because she had never done that much Highway driving by herself and wasn’t familiar with where I lived. This is a decade later, the kid can’t plot out a one hour drive on a highway.

It’s no excuse: you have to grow up and do those things. But at the same time, it’s also understandable: kids these days are lost operating as adults at age 19, 21, 23 even. You have to get into your twenties these days to equal kids who turned 18 back in like the 70s or 80s. The level of maturity is just different.

People can keep throwing around the word “professional” as if that insulates Kravtsov from the trappings of being a kid. It’s probably true that people who are high level athletes at that age probably have a bit more maturity in general which is why this situation probably doesn’t come up much.

But I think a little understanding is warranted instead of just throwing the entire onus into Kravtsov’s lap. The burden is going to be on him to grow up, but not necessarily the blame. And the Rangers should be helping him do that, if they have any interest in him maxing out his potential. Not telling him to “grow up” and “come back when you’re ready.”

 

[mas0764]

Also isn’t Kravtsov the one who was real close to his grandfather and his grandfather didn’t want him to come over yet?

 

[FireGerardGallant]

Hes sensitive.
Typical millennial.

Ok boomer

 

[Chaels Arms]

He's not coming back. Blame whoever you want but he clearly did not have a good time here. He also clearly does not want to play in the AHL and the Rangers are never going to guarantee him a roster spot on the big club.

Put all those factors together and then consider that his option "B", i.e. the KHL is not a bad option at all from his perspective. He gets to make a ton of money over there, be a star player and surround himself with friends and family. He' s going to give all that up to come back and play for Hartford again? I don't blame him at all by the way but I'm just not as optimistic as those who are brushing all this off like it's no big deal and he's definitely going to be back in the States in no time.