Vitali Kravtsov is not here to talk about the past, but the 22-year-old wing recognizes that it must be addressed.
“I have definitely made a lot of noise in the past so it is necessary for me to redeem myself a little bit,” Kravtsov, who infamously refused assignment to the AHL Wolf Pack last year and instead scampered back home to Russia, said through an interpreter. “Everyone in the locker room understands. It is all about mutual respect, putting in the work and getting on the team.”
(Kravtsov joked: “I forgot my tie in Russia. That’s why I went back.”)
Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury kept open the lines of communication with the ninth-overall pick of the 2018 NHL Draft after first suspending him, then allowing him to play with his KHL Chelyabinsk Traktor club. There had been an initial trade request from the player, but when Drury could not get a commensurate return, he patiently held fast and worked on repairing the relationship with Kravtsov.
That was not an act of charity. The Rangers need Kravtsov not only to earn a spot within their top six, but also to be productive. Surely they are giving him every chance to showcase his talent by placing him on the right side of the second line with Artemi Panarin on the left and Vincent Trocheck on the right.
“It is easier for me to play with them than it is for them to play with me,” Kravtsov said with a smile. “They are much better than me. I am just trying to be there for them.”
Panarin has been acting as something of a mentor for his fellow countryman through the opening days of camp. The two have spent extra time together on the ice, with Panarin imparting his wisdom.
Of course, Panarin joked that he was doing this purely out of self-interest, because the better Kravtsov is, the more points he will collect.
“We mostly talk about making minor corrections and about focusing on trying to maintain his level,” Panarin said, also through a interpreter. “He obviously makes good plays. I hope Vitali stays in the battle. We’ve had four good practices recently. We’ll see if that keeps up.”
Kravtsov played 20 games with the Rangers at the end of the 2019-20 season, while collecting four points (2-2). He played one game with Panarin and Ryan Strome, getting a sum of 40:09 of five-on-five ice time with Panarin. Kravtsov played with eight different line combinations, getting a majority of the time on the fourth line with Brett Howden and Kevin Rooney.
Last year, he played just 19 regular season games and 15 playoff games in the KHL. That did not necessarily aid his development.
“I had a few injuries so I didn’t play so many games,” he said. “I had more practice experience than in games. I fell out of the rhythm of the game a little bit. But it is what it is. I have to keep putting in the work.”
Kravtsov arrived in New York in early July in order to get a jump-start on his preseason preparation. It is going to be now or never as it relates to the Rangers for the wing, who would require waivers in order to be assigned to the AHL. As if.
“I wanted to come here and practice under the eyes of a coach who could tell me what I should do,” Kravtsov said. “A lot of the [offseason] was focusing more about my mental health.
“I want to be stronger on the ice and stronger on my feet and make quick turns and quick stops. That’s the way the game is played.”
Head coach Gerard Gallant — who reached out to Kravtsov last October in an effort to convince him to change his mind and report to the Wolf Pack — said he was pleased with the Russian’s work through the first three days of scrimmages.
“I like what he’s doing, he’s working hard, he wants to make our hockey team and that’s what he has to do,” Gallant said. “He’s getting an opportunity. He knows that. He’s still got to make the hockey team.
“You’ve got to come in and play well to make the hockey team.”
Again. It won’t be a bonus if Kravtsov becomes a productive member of the Rangers’ top six or top nine. That is a necessity. The Rangers need a payoff from their 2018 first-rounder.
“I’ve always felt great here,” said Kravtsov, who is skating in his third Rangers camp. “I’m responsible for what happens. I am just focusing on today.”
