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New York Rangers: How good are the kids?

By Steve Paulus

DALLAS, TX - JUNE 22: Vitali Kravtsov pose after being selected ninth overall by the New York Rangers during the first round of the 2018 NHL Draft at American Airlines Center on June 22, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
DALLAS, TX - JUNE 22: Vitali Kravtsov pose after being selected ninth overall by the New York Rangers during the first round of the 2018 NHL Draft at American Airlines Center on June 22, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Bruce Bennett/Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK, NY – JUNE 29: New York Rangers Right Wing Vitali Kravtsov (74) skates during New York Rangers Prospect Development Camp on June 29, 2018 at the MSG Training Center in New York, NY. (Photo by Rich Graessle/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /

Vitali Kravtsov, 19

Right Wing, Shoots Left

Height:  6’2″  Weight:  170

Vitali Kravtsov is consistently rated the highest of New York Rangers prospects.  Drafted ninth overall in 2018, the pick was seen as an off the board selection.  Now, after watching Kravtsov spend a full season in the KHL and play in the World Junior  Championships, most observers are now calling the pick an astute one.  He is about to sign his entry level contract and should be contending for a starting slot on the roster this fall.

Craig Button, TSN – In a bit of a surprise, Button had Kravtsov as the top ranked player on his list.  Button said the Russian is “a highly skilled winger who is an offensive threat with his combination of speed, power, shot and finish.” He cited Kravtsov’s deployment at center as a positive and said his style of play is similar to Rick Nash.

Steve Kournianos, The Sporting News – Kournianos had Kravtsov ranked 32nd and said he has “electrifying puck skills and is deadly in open ice.”  It’s worth nothing that 11 of the players on the list ahead of Kravtsov are in the NHL already including Filip Chytil.

Chris Peters, ESPN –  Kravtsov finished 11th on his list, an improvement from 40th place in his prior rankings.  He was especially impressed by “Kravtsov’s confidence and creativity with the puck,” though he did question his hockey sense.

Corey Pronman, The Athletic – Pronman moved Kravtsov up from 17th to to 11th overall and he was in the category of “High End Prospect.”  He said that “when Kravtsov has the puck, he’s looking to make something happen. He makes the flashy skill plays seem routine. ”  His reason for the improvement in the rankings is an improvement in Kravtsov’s  compete level.

NHL Network – They had Kravtsov ranked 35th overall, because of his strong showing in the KHL playoffs the prior season.

Dobber Hockey – Dobber ranked the top 200 forward prospects and Kravtsov came in at number 13.   Their assessment:  “Very talented offensive forward who can make plays and finish them. Capable of playing all three forward positions. Good skater with decent defensive awareness.” Based on his offensive output with Traktor in the KHL, they put Kravtsov’s NHL point potential at 46.

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