Vitali Kravtsov to finish KHL season in Russia

Kravtsov will finish the KHL season with Traktor Chelyabinsk

Wednesday night, Larry Brooks of the New York Post reported that New York Rangers top prospect, winger Vitali Kravtsov, will finish out the KHL season in Russia with Traktor Chelyabinsk.  Kravtsov has been tearing it up in the KHL so far this season, with 11 points on eight goals and three assists in 17 games played.  Traktor currently sits in fourth place in Eastern Conference with 32 points on a 15-9 record.  There hasn’t been confirmation of Brooks’ report from the New York Rangers front office just yet.

Could we see Kravtsov this season?

Kravtsov is under contract to the New York Rangers and they can recall him to the NHL team anytime they want.  But for a Rangers team that is so committed to young player development in the midst of a nearly finished retool, I don’t see why they would jeopardize Kravtsov’s development to have him come play in New York during a season where the team isn’t expected to compete for a Stanley Cup.

However, with the NHL season not expected to start until at least January 1st, there is a chance we could see the young former first-round pick at a little over the halfway mark of the 2020-21 NHL season.  The KHL regular season is scheduled to end on Saturday, February 27th and with the top eight teams in each conference making the playoffs,  Kravtsov’s fourth place Traktor team is most likely making the playoffs.  That means that there is a possibility he could play well into late April if his team makes a deep push, giving him a chance to join the Rangers sometime between March and May.

A big year for the New York Rangers

The 2020-21 NHL season could prove be one of the most pivotal seasons in the franchise’s 94 year history.  First overall draft pick Alexis Lafrenière is expected to make his NHL debut, while the Rangers try to develop the young talent they already have on the NHL roster in guys like Adam Fox, Kaapo Kakko, and Igor Shesterkin.  Other Rangers top prospects like K’Andre Miller, Nils Lundkvist, and Karl Henriksson will also be gunning for a spot on the big league roster as  early as this season.

Vitali Kravtsov will have a lot of competition to go through in order to make the team at the end of the KHL season, if the Rangers do decide to bring him back.  One thing is for sure, the Rangers are stacked with young talent up and down their depth charts.  The future isn’t just bright for this team, it’s sparkling.