[brooks] Vitali Kravtsov Exercising European Out Clause; Signing with KHL Chelyabinsk

They may have "changed everything" but that doesn't mean their changes will turn around their history of development issues. They started off hot, great. They have an uphill battle to get rid of the stigma Josh is talking about. You can't just give them an A grade because they're finally putting some effort in to their farm club. The fact that they let Hartford become a joke doesn't just end because of changes and a hot start, IMO.

Hartford history is 8 games old. Whatever happened under old management is [emoji817] irrelevant.

Totally clean slate. Gotcha.

Totally clean slate. Gotcha.

 

Ahhhhh.

?All is forgiven? as I say.

 

Damn it.

 

 

Totally clean slate. Gotcha.

Well considering the entire staff is new and JD is running things now... Yes... And why shouldn't it be?

Well considering the entire staff is new and JD is running things now... Yes... And why shouldn't it be?

It's a pretty ugly history so I understand demanding a longer show-me period than this. But only part of Hartford's deficiency has been neglect and mismanagement on site. The other part was crappy players as top picks were routinely traded away and whatever was left was picked clean and left to die. Between the sell-offs and a couple of pretty good drafts, we now have the prospect of more NHL-caliber talent coming into the org than we can actually fit at MSG, particularly on D and in net. Add some of the recent veteran signings and it looks decently promising. So far, so good.

 

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Comparing this year's Hartford to years past is a bit like buying a brand new car and saying it's going to breakdown constantly like all the old clunkers you went driving around in previously. Too much has changed. JD, new coaching, a bunch of new players and prospects. So far so good.

The more things change, the more they stay the same

The more things change, the more they stay the same

 

That?s the problem, everyone was expecting these teenagers to walk right in and become top 6 players.

That’s the problem, everyone was expecting these teenagers to walk right in and become top 6 players.

 

Yup

True that

 

That said, the ridiculous amount of teenagers and young kids stepping into the league, making a significant impact, and doing so immediately or very quickly makes that expectation less unreasonable and not all that surprising when it happens, so I don’t think it’s outrageous for anyone to put that expectation out there

Yup

True that

 

That said, the ridiculous amount of teenagers and young kids stepping into the league, making a significant impact, and doing so immediately or very quickly makes that expectation less unreasonable and not all that surprising when it happens, so I don’t think it’s outrageous for anyone to put that expectation out there

 

There aren't as many teenagers making a significant impact as people think. Nate McKinnon didn't break out until he turned 22. Gaudreau didn't crack the NHL until he was 21 and then didn't become a PPG player until he was 24. Kucherov was 20 when he broke into the league and scored 18 points. Barkov had 24 points as an 18 year old. The list goes on and on.

 

People keep saying the league is filled with impactful teenagers and that's just not true. There's probably one teenager a year that has a halfway decent season. Even last year, Petterson was 20 years old.

There aren't as many teenagers making a significant impact as people think. Nate McKinnon didn't break out until he turned 22. Gaudreau didn't crack the NHL until he was 21 and then didn't become a PPG player until he was 24. Kucherov was 20 when he broke into the league and scored 18 points. Barkov had 24 points as an 18 year old. The list goes on and on.

 

People keep saying the league is filled with impactful teenagers and that's just not true. There's probably one teenager a year that has a halfway decent season. Even last year, Petterson was 20 years old.

Agree 100%.

 

Even Kakko, with a superior skillset, is pretty invisible.

 

I'm not really mad that Kravtsov went home. I do get annoyed at the people who think he should have been gifted a spot.

 

Reality is that he wasn't going to play on the fourth line or the left side. He's a RW who needed to beat Buch, Fast, Kakko... And he didn't.

 

Smith, McKegg and Haley did not beat him out. They weren't playing for the same spots.

 

I hate the real life to hockey comparison, but if your employer was hiring for a supervisor and a janitor, and you didn't get the supervisor job.... That doesn't make you too of list for janitor. And would you want that job?

There aren't as many teenagers making a significant impact as people think. Nate McKinnon didn't break out until he turned 22. Gaudreau didn't crack the NHL until he was 21 and then didn't become a PPG player until he was 24. Kucherov was 20 when he broke into the league and scored 18 points. Barkov had 24 points as an 18 year old. The list goes on and on.

 

People keep saying the league is filled with impactful teenagers and that's just not true. There's probably one teenager a year that has a halfway decent season. Even last year, Petterson was 20 years old.

 

Fair point.

But it definitely seems more than it used to be, and while it might not be teens, it’s still seemingly happening quickly for a fair amount.

 

MacKinnon did take a while. But those down seasons cake after he won a Calder.

Fair point.

But it definitely seems more than it used to be, and while it might not be teens, it’s still seemingly happening quickly for a fair amount.

 

MacKinnon did take a while. But those down seasons cake after he won a Calder.

 

"Quickly" is still 3-4 years in the league.

"Quickly" is still 3-4 years in the league.

 

Well in the case of 2 whom you mentioned, Kucherov had 29 goals and 65 points in his first FULL season (52 games and only 18 points as a 20 year old rookie the previous year) and Gaudreau was 25 and 65, 3rd in Calder voting as a 20 year old rookie.

Barkov also was still only 20 and had less than 130 games played when he had his breakout season in year 3

 

Ridiculous amount was an overstatement on my behalf to be sure, but there’s a lot more players impacting young and quickly

Agree 100%.

 

Even Kakko, with a superior skillset, is pretty invisible.

 

I'm not really mad that Kravtsov went home. I do get annoyed at the people who think he should have been gifted a spot.

 

Reality is that he wasn't going to play on the fourth line or the left side. He's a RW who needed to beat Buch, Fast, Kakko... And he didn't.

 

Smith, McKegg and Haley did not beat him out. They weren't playing for the same spots.

 

I hate the real life to hockey comparison, but if your employer was hiring for a supervisor and a janitor, and you didn't get the supervisor job.... That doesn't make you too of list for janitor. And would you want that job?

 

Exactly right

 

If he and Chytil weren’t going to play in your top-6, where their particular skill set says their future lies, what good would it do to play them limited minutes, banging and bumping, in a bottom-6 role they aren’t at all suited for.

 

I say let them go where they can play in an appropriate role

 

It’s not as if Kravtsov can’t go back to the K, which is the second best league in the world, and play, learn, grow and develop. There’s tons of coaches, assistants, players and other personnel over there that have droves of NHL experience and commensurate knowledge that can help prepare him for a career in the NHL and the “North American “ game and lifestyle, which is so overplayed

"Quickly" is still 3-4 years in the league.

 

Well in the case of 2 whom you mentioned, Kucherov had 29 goals and 65 points in his first FULL season (52 games and only 18 points as a 20 year old rookie the previous year) and Gaudreau was 25 and 65, 3rd in Calder voting as a 20 year old rookie.

Barkov also was still only 20 and had less than 130 games played when he had his breakout season in year 3

 

Ridiculous amount was an overstatement on my behalf to be sure, but there’s a lot more players impacting young and quickly

Sorry, but that is just hysterical bullshit.

 

Did he play? Did he not get scratched and benched???

None! Why?

 

 

Read this wrong - even when they do, what happens?

And what about any other rounds? They’ve literally developed no one.

 

What about everyone's favorite top line player Jesper Fast?

 

There's a few off the top 9f my head.

Talbot

Geiorgiev.....

 

There's been some... No? LOL

There aren't as many teenagers making a significant impact as people think. Nate McKinnon didn't break out until he turned 22. Gaudreau didn't crack the NHL until he was 21 and then didn't become a PPG player until he was 24. Kucherov was 20 when he broke into the league and scored 18 points. Barkov had 24 points as an 18 year old. The list goes on and on.

 

People keep saying the league is filled with impactful teenagers and that's just not true. There's probably one teenager a year that has a halfway decent season. Even last year, Petterson was 20 years old.

 

I think the issue is that the top players taken have made impacts

 

MacKinnon 63 pts

Matthews 69 pts

Mcdavid 48 pts (45 games)

Eichel 56 pts

Laine 64 pts

Hirachier 52 pts

Tkachuk 48 pts

Peterson 66 pts

Marner 61 pts

 

We just don?t have any rookies playing at a high level like these guys did

 

 

 

 

 

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I think the issue is that the top players taken have made impacts

Rookies in last 5 years

 

MacKinnon 63 pts

Matthews 69 pts

Mcdavid 48 pts (45 games)

Eichel 56 pts

Laine 64 pts

Hirachier 52 pts

Tkachuk 48 pts

Peterson 66 pts

Marner 61 pts

 

We just don?t have any rookies playing at a high level like these guys did

 

 

 

 

 

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Thats 9 players over 5 years and 31 teams.

 

We have a lot of good talent, but they?re still 18-20 y/olds. Just because a few rookies had amazing rookie seasons it doesnt mean our talent isnt good enough. There?s many more players having tough rookie seasons that turns into amazing players.

 

 

 

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Thats 9 players over 5 years and 31 teams.

 

We have a lot of good talent, but they?re still 18-20 y/olds. Just because a few rookies had amazing rookie seasons it doesnt mean our talent isnt good enough. There?s many more players having tough rookie seasons that turns into amazing players.

 

 

 

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I think the point was, is that these guys are all franchise players. I can?t remember any top picks expected to be franchise players perform this poorly

 

 

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Agree 100%.

 

Even Kakko, with a superior skillset, is pretty invisible.

 

I'm not really mad that Kravtsov went home. I do get annoyed at the people who think he should have been gifted a spot.

 

Reality is that he wasn't going to play on the fourth line or the left side. He's a RW who needed to beat Buch, Fast, Kakko... And he didn't.

 

Smith, McKegg and Haley did not beat him out. They weren't playing for the same spots.

 

I hate the real life to hockey comparison, but if your employer was hiring for a supervisor and a janitor, and you didn't get the supervisor job.... That doesn't make you too of list for janitor. And would you want that job?

 

accept if you are hiring a supervisor-to-be, its okay for him to start as a janitor.

 

also, Kravtsov beat out Kakko in the preseason. he was much more noticeable. and scored a goal too. Kakko got a spot only because he's #2 OA pick. and it still shows

There aren't as many teenagers making a significant impact as people think. Nate McKinnon didn't break out until he turned 22. Gaudreau didn't crack the NHL until he was 21 and then didn't become a PPG player until he was 24. Kucherov was 20 when he broke into the league and scored 18 points. Barkov had 24 points as an 18 year old. The list goes on and on.

 

People keep saying the league is filled with impactful teenagers and that's just not true. There's probably one teenager a year that has a halfway decent season. Even last year, Petterson was 20 years old.

 

...Kravtsov with 20 points at age 19. Sounds good to me

I think the point was, is that these guys are all franchise players. I can’t remember any top picks expected to be franchise players perform this poorly

 

 

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Steven Stamkos comes to mind.

Steven Stamkos comes to mind.

 

True, but still had 23 goals and 23 assists.

I believe Kakko is on pace for 8 goals and 8 assists

 

 

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