Vitali Kravtsov has had a rather quiet season. While it has been incredibly up and down for the Russian winger since his return to the NHL, there have been reports surfacing regarding rumors that the former 9th overall pick is available. If Kravtsov is supposedly on his way out of the New York Rangers organization, there is a lot to unpack. Why now? What could the Blueshirts get back for the 23-year-old?
So start with the why. It seems Gallant and the coaching staff have lost faith in Kravtsov’s ability to hold down a starting position in the Rangers lineup. He’s unlikely to become anything major in New York seeing as his current development has been stumped due to not being able to get consistent playing time. Kravtsov is likely to be moved at some point due to the coaching staff being unhappy and the player wanting a fresh start.
It is being reported that the asking price for Kravtsov is just a third-round pick. At that kind of price, I can imagine that most of the league will be on the phone with Chris Drury trying to get hold of the Russian winger. Kravtsov has shown that he is more than capable as a player without the puck and has even been one of the better players in the league defensively. He’s got a lot of upsides and with the player still being young, there are chances for his development.
What would you like to see the Rangers do with Kravtsov? Keeping hold of the disgruntled winger may be counterintuitive if the Russian really wants out of the Big Apple. Is there someone, in particular, you would like to see the Blueshirts target with the Russian winger? He’ll hold value, perhaps he could be used to bolster the Rangers’ next shopping trip.