The New York Rangers are pleased that Vitali Kravtsov is lighting up the KHL, but how does that translate to the NHL?
With five goals in six games, Vitali Kravtsov is one of the top goal scorers in the Kontinental Hockey League. While it is thrilling for fans of the New York Rangers to see him doing so well, the question is how well does success in the KHL translate to the NHL?
First, let’s set some parameters. Kravtsov is 20 years old and has almost two full seasons in the KHL and one season split between the AHL and the KHL.
In his first full season in the KHL with Traktor Chelyabinsk (2017-18) he played 35 games as a 17-year old, scoring four goals. His next season, 2018-19, the Rangers left him in Russia to play for Traktor and compete in the WJC. He improved to eight goals and 21 points in 50 games and starred at the WJC with two goals and six points in seven games.
Last season, he was 19 years old when the campaign started and it didn’t go well. After he didn’t make the varsity and was demoted to Hartford, he exercised his European Assignment Clause and returned to Traktor where he clashed with the coaching staff and was demoted to the VHL before returning to finish the season in Hartford.
This season he has scored five goals in six games, good for third overall and is leading the KHL in shots on goal. He looks like a different player this season, driving to the net to score on rebounds and also showing the skill that made him the ninth overall pick.
Vitaly @Kravtsov is officially on fire – he scores in 3rd straight game! pic.twitter.com/CQLOvNIh9M
— KHL (@khl_eng) September 17, 2020
Things are looking up for Vitali Kravtsov and the question that all Ranger fans have is how this will translate to the NHL.
We’ll take a look at some other Russian players who made the move to North America.