Rangers Give Kravtsov Permission to Seek Trade; Loaned to KHL

[Lord Al]

Kravtsov has refused to report and is likely facing a suspension.  It looks like his days as a Ranger are over. https://bluelinestation.com/2021/10/12/kravtsov-refuses-to-go-to-ahl-another-new-york-rangers-fiasco-brewing/

Edited October 12, 2021 by Lord Al

[Long live the King]

2 minutes ago, Lord Al said:

Kravtsov has refused to report and is likely facing a suspension.  It looks like his days as a Ranger are over. 

What?  When?

[Phil]

8 minutes ago, Keirik said:

It’s not ideal but we have a full blown banging 4th line. It doesn’t need to be bottom 6 all bangers. Not always. Besides,  Gauthier is not physical and more than Howden was and we certainly are not regretting the subtraction of Brett.  The only thing Gauthier is going to wear down is the coaching staff eventually. If 4 out of your bottom 6 are grinders to wear down your opponents, 2 being skilled seems about right. 

Sure, in which case, your skilled players you might play on the third line (Krav) would have to be in the press box. Do you really think he'd take that any better than he did this?

[RichieNextel305]

What do you even look for here in a trade?

Another disgruntled prospect? Use him as a major trade chip in a trade for a player on the outs elsewhere? Flip him for draft capital?

Very tough call.

[Pete]

12 minutes ago, Keirik said:

It’s not ideal but we have a full blown banging 4th line. It doesn’t need to be bottom 6 all bangers. Not always. Besides,  Gauthier is not physical and more than Howden was and we certainly are not regretting the subtraction of Brett.  The only thing Gauthier is going to wear down is the coaching staff eventually. If 4 out of your bottom 6 are grinders to wear down your opponents, 2 being skilled seems about right. 

But, ya see...this is the point. All Kravtsov had to do was go to Hartford, and give the coach a reason to bring him back. That's the one thing he's never really tried. He certainly didn't blow anyone away in HTFD.

And now in camp, he got hurt. That shit happens. Just bide your time, if you're as good as your ego says you are, you should be back quickly. What did Chytil stay down, 10 days/games when he got demoted?

[Phil]

Just now, RichieNextel305 said:

What do you even look for here in a trade?

Another disgruntled prospect? Use him as a major trade chip in a trade for a player on the outs elsewhere? Flip him for draft capital?

Very tough call.

You (the Rangers) don't. You're letting his representation do all the leg work (if there's any to be made), and bring ideas back to you. If they intrigue you, you can look into it, otherwise, you suspend him, he stops getting paid, and we see how long he wants to keep at this.

[Pete]

Just now, Phil said:

You (the Rangers) don't. You're letting his representation do all the leg work (if there's any to be made), and bring ideas back to you. If they intrigue you, you can look into it, otherwise, you suspend him, he stops getting paid, and we see how long he wants to keep at this.

I wouldn't trade him for anything other than a premium package. The Rangers control his rights. The KHL is in his future.

[Phil]

Just now, Pete said:

But, ya see...this is the point. All Kravtsov had to do was go to Hartford, and give the coach a reason to bring him back. That's the one thing he's never really tried. He certainly didn't blow anyone away in HTFD.

And now in camp, he got hurt. That shit happens. Just bide your time, if you're as good as your ego says you are, you should be back quickly. What did Chytil stay down, 10 days/games when he got demoted?

Exactly. Same for almost everyone who goes to Hartford. Shesterkin played 25 games in the AHL. Hajek played 23 games last season before riding out the rest of the year with the big club.

[Phil]

1 minute ago, Pete said:

I wouldn't trade him for anything other than a premium package. The Rangers control his rights. The KHL is in his future.

Same. That's why I think letting his reps seek a trade is brilliant. You want out? No problem. Go find us a solution you think works. If we agree, we'll work on it, if not, you can remain suspended or you can report to the Wolf Pack. Your choice.

[Sharpshooter]

1 minute ago, Phil said:

Exactly. Same for almost everyone who goes to Hartford. Shesterkin played 25 games in the AHL. Hajek played 23 games last season before riding out the rest of the year with the big club.

Yeah, and the AHL was probably a step down for Shesterkin after playing against the competition in the KHL, but he did it anyway. A stint in Hartford did wonders for Cythil.

Edited October 12, 2021 by Sharpshooter

[Keirik]

1 minute ago, Phil said:

Sure, in which case, your skilled players you might play on the third line (Krav) would have to be in the press box. Do you really think he'd take that any better than he did this?

I do honestly. He was on the taxi squad last year and didn’t say anything. I know this has horrible optics but I think there is a gigantic different between healthy scratch waiting your turn and being sent down after already proving himself both in the second best league in the world and AHL here. This was the worst play, even if it meant the possibility of losing someone on waivers.  We can take this as being a big baby but there is also the aspect that he knows he belongs here and has nothing left to prove otherwise. Plus he went down this road before. I’m siding with the player on this one. It’s a raw deal to keep a guy like Gauthier that is now  in his 3rd year with us and didn’t have one preseason point. If he went off this preseason you tip your cap but he didn’t. He looked okay. Drove to the net here and there but no results. We have seen that from him for quite a while now.

 Obviously Kravtsov  is hungry to perform here at this level and he has all the makings to do so. What he needs are his coaches to believe that. The second he scored that one time pp goal should have ended any debate on who should make this team. It’s one goal (one goal more than Gaut) compared to the same old drive to the net with no results for Gaut. Give me the result every time. 
 

 

You know what? I want to really see our leaders on this team. I want to hear reports that the leaders all called Vitali and helped sort him out, change his mind, relax him, whatever. Because losing this kid is going to be a bigger deal than we realize right now. 

[Keirik]

20 minutes ago, Lord Al said:

Kravtsov has refused to report and is likely facing a suspension.  It looks like his days as a Ranger are over. https://bluelinestation.com/2021/10/12/kravtsov-refuses-to-go-to-ahl-another-new-york-rangers-fiasco-brewing/

Really? Wow. Can anyone confirm if this is true? Lol

[Keirik]

12 minutes ago, Pete said:

I wouldn't trade him for anything other than a premium package. The Rangers control his rights. The KHL is in his future.

Just call Yzerman, let him screw us over yet again. We can trade him for a little grit. Really solidify our glue 

[Ozzy]

Just now, Phil said:

Same. That's why I think letting his reps seek a trade is brilliant. You want out? No problem. Go find us a solution you think works. If we agree, we'll work on it, if not, you can remain suspended or you can report to the Wolf Pack. Your choice.

I've been trying to see both sides of the coin as this thing progresses and I keep coming up with the idea that Krav wasn't going to be spending a whole lot of time in Hartford....maybe a few games, 10 at most.  Gallant, who is new to the organization may be enamored with Gaut enough to basically give him a 10 game evaluation, before resolving back to Kravtsov, who he admitted was playing better and had a good last game.

That killed 2 birds with one stone; Krav got to log some ice time and play his way into better game shape, and gave Gallant the luxury of seeing what Gauthier could do in the regular season, in HIS new system.

I think once the hissy fit is over and the dust settles, Kravy will end up going to Hartford for his stint, and eventually he'll make his way back here.  He's just pissed off, and I can understand that too.  But this is sure as fuck NOT the way to handle it.  I also know Gallant is here to win games...PERIOD...and not babysit.

I do like the idea of "go see if you can make a deal, and let me know!"  LOL  That's pretty comical!!

In the meantime, it's your decision.  I think Kravy will come around.  This is seeming to be par for the course with this kid.  ...Kinda makes you wonder what contract renegotiation with him are going to be like!!!  I won't hold my breath for that!!! 

[josh]

16 minutes ago, RichieNextel305 said:

What do you even look for here in a trade?

Another disgruntled prospect? Use him as a major trade chip in a trade for a player on the outs elsewhere? Flip him for draft capital?

Very tough call.

not a ton of options. a bad pick, maybe a 2nd. No sense grabbing a prospect if there is no space. They have Barron and Pajuniemi, and a ton of D.

You upgrade to the lineup? But you'd have to include Chytil or Strome, as there are not other positions to upgrade, really.

[Phil]

5 minutes ago, Keirik said:

I do honestly. He was on the taxi squad last year and didn’t say anything. I know this has horrible optics but I think there is a gigantic different between healthy scratch waiting your turn and being sent down after already proving himself both in the second best league in the world and AHL here. This was the worst play, even if it meant the possibility of losing someone on waivers.  We can take this as being a big baby but there is also the aspect that he knows he belongs here and has nothing left to prove otherwise. Plus he went down this road before. I’m siding with the player on this one. It’s a raw deal to keep a guy like Gauthier that is now  in his 3rd year with us and didn’t have one preseason point. If he went off this preseason you tip your cap but he didn’t. He looked okay. Drove to the net here and there but no results. We have seen that from him for quite a while now.

 Obviously Kravtsov  is hungry to perform here at this level and he has all the makings to do so. What he needs are his coaches to believe that. The second he scored that one time pp goal should have ended any debate on who should make this team. It’s one goal (one goal more than Gaut) compared to the same old drive to the net with no results for Gaut. Give me the result every time. 

You know what? I want to really see our leaders on this team. I want to hear reports that the leaders all called Vitali and helped sort him out, change his mind, relax him, whatever. Because losing this kid is going to be a bigger deal than we realize right now. 

That's probably true — he maybe would have taken it a little better, but I could easily still see him being upset he's not a lock for the top-six and requesting his trade anyway. Especially because the pieces involved would be no different. It would still pit him against Gauthier, Hunt, and Blais — the latter of whom I think you would agree, has performed better than any of the others.

Still, it brings us back to the weird situation where his only real "in" at the moment is possibly on a fourth line.

Lafrenière - Zibanejad - Kreider
Panarin - Strome - Kakko
Blais - Chytil - Goodrow
Hunt - Rooney - Reaves

That's the opening night lineup. Who is he beating out here that isn't going to keep him pissed off?

I mean, shit, in a lot of ways he isn't even battling with Gauthier (who also isn't in the lineup) – he's battling with Hunt, Blais, and Goodrow for an opportunity to maybe play on a third line. Maybe.

Just now, Keirik said:

Just call Yzerman, let him screw us over yet again. We can trade him for a little grit. Really solidify our glue 

Or, counter, just put Gauthier or McKegg out to pasture and grind their hooves to replenish our stores?

[Sharpshooter]

No matter who you want to blame in all of this, this is a really shitty way to lose one of your better young talents in the organization. They really can't afford to just let promising young talent walk away. A damn shame.

[josh]

28 minutes ago, Pete said:

I wouldn't trade him for anything other than a premium package. The Rangers control his rights. The KHL is in his future.

Can you loan to another NHL team? I know you can loan to other AHL teams.

For some reason I have Sam Gagner, or someone similar in my head doing this.

[LindG1000]

8 minutes ago, Sharpshooter said:

No matter who you want to blame in all of this, this is a really shitty way to lose one of your better young talents in the organization. They really can't afford to just let promising young talent walk away. A damn shame.

It depends how. He can't/won't just walk away - the KHL is not lucrative enough, the AHL is not lucrative enough. He's NHL caliber and everyone knows it.

At the same time - he wasn't beating out Kreider or Kakko. He didn't beat Gauthier - which bluntly should trouble us because Gauthier can't finish. Where's his future here if he can't beat out Gauthier in the eyes of the front office? 

Be mad about Kreider here if you like - there's almost nobody in the NHL better at netfront play. Be mad about Kakko if you want, I guess. He's on the verge of breaking out. 

IMO this is a top 6 or bust prospect who was never getting the top 6 spot here barring something extraordinary. I don't mind him asking for a trade. I mind him doing so this way. At this point, it's all about the return on the trade or the attempts to mend fences. 

[josh]

[Sharpshooter]

Gauthier was fine this preseason, but he is not a better option than Krav, he just isn't. Plus, he was hurt. So, they play him in the last preseason game, he looks good and scores a nice goal, and they're still going with Julien? He already showed in one game, after being injured, how valuable he is. I don't see how thinking Gauthier is a better fit makes sense in any universe. I mean, he probably should have just gone down, it was going to last long anyway, I don't think. I don't know, this whole thing is one colossal fuck up.

[Keirik]

4 minutes ago, Phil said:

That's probably true — he maybe would have taken it a little better, but I could easily still see him being upset he's not a lock for the top-six and requesting his trade anyway. Especially because the pieces involved would be no different. It would still pit him against Gauthier, Hunt, and Blais — the latter of whom I think you would agree, has performed better than any of the others.

Still, it brings us back to the weird situation where his only real "in" at the moment is possibly on a fourth line.

Lafrenière - Zibanejad - Kreider
Panarin - Strome - Kakko
Blais - Chytil - Goodrow
Hunt - Rooney - Reaves

That's the opening night lineup. Who is he beating out here that isn't going to keep him pissed off?

I mean, shit, in a lot of ways he isn't even battling with Gauthier (who also isn't in the lineup) – he's battling with Hunt, Blais, and Goodrow for an opportunity to maybe play on a third line. Maybe.

Or, counter, just put Gauthier or McKegg out to pasture and grind their hooves to replenish our stores?

I’d say outside of a miracle of epic proportions, we all know there are going to be large stretches where Kreider does his bi weekly coast so he moves up and down the lineup as he cools and heats up, krav slides up as necessary.  We also can’t just assume Kakko and ALF are 100% over any hump of performing. Hunt, while having a good preseason, is 25 and has shown plenty of times his inconsistencies. He won’t be a 100% ink for the lineup every game. Blais, if you ask many Blues fans, struggles with consistency as well. 
 

   The point is, there are going to be times Krav would slot right in. Now, the other part is that if we then are saying Krav isn’t really battling Gaut as much as he’s battling everything else we mentioned above then the question is this? Who benefits more by being around the NHL roster? Our top 10 pick that I think many agree belongs in the NHL or Gauthier who is going on year 3 of his chances to prove he belongs here?  I really think it was time to reward Krav with a roster spot. I’d even be willing to think if he spent the first couple of weeks around the club on our roster, he would respond better to an AHL stint in a few weeks if the coaching staff said “look we just need you to get some games in….keep your head up and you’re our first call up” rather than the direction they went with now. 

[Phil]

8 minutes ago, G1000 said:

I don't mind him asking for a trade. I mind him doing so this way. At this point, it's all about the return on the trade or the attempts to mend fences. 

Yup.

[Keirik]

4 minutes ago, G1000 said:

It depends how. He can't/won't just walk away - the KHL is not lucrative enough, the AHL is not lucrative enough. He's NHL caliber and everyone knows it.

At the same time - he wasn't beating out Kreider or Kakko. He didn't beat Gauthier - which bluntly should trouble us because Gauthier can't finish. Where's his future here if he can't beat out Gauthier in the eyes of the front office? 

Be mad about Kreider here if you like - there's almost nobody in the NHL better at netfront play. Be mad about Kakko if you want, I guess. He's on the verge of breaking out. 

IMO this is a top 6 or bust prospect who was never getting the top 6 spot here barring something extraordinary. I don't mind him asking for a trade. I mind him doing so this way. At this point, it's all about the return on the trade or the attempts to mend fences. 

But I think he did beat out Gauthier. That last game alone in the game that was the closest to real an actual NHL rivalry late March style game . Where our top players weren’t even there and guys had to step up. That wasn’t a preseason game as much as it was a game that didn’t count. Kravtsov looked great. Pp time, goal, etc. Gauthier? Meh?  I guess he did his drive to the net thing with no results?  I’d have to check since I don’t remember him doing too much. 

[Phil]

7 minutes ago, Keirik said:

I’d say outside of a miracle of epic proportions, we all know there are going to be large stretches where Kreider does his bi weekly coast so he moves up and down the lineup as he cools and heats up, krav slides up as necessary.  We also can’t just assume Kakko and ALF are 100% over any hump of performing. Hunt, while having a good preseason, is 25 and has shown plenty of times his inconsistencies. He won’t be a 100% ink for the lineup every game. Blais, if you ask many Blues fans, struggles with consistency as well. 
 

   The point is, there are going to be times Krav would slot right in. Now, the other part is that if we then are saying Krav isn’t really battling Gaut as much as he’s battling everything else we mentioned above then the question is this? Who benefits more by being around the NHL roster? Our top 10 pick that I think many agree belongs in the NHL or Gauthier who is going on year 3 of his chances to prove he belongs here?  I really think it was time to reward Krav with a roster spot. I’d even be willing to think if he spent the first couple of weeks around the club on our roster, he would respond better to an AHL stint in a few weeks if the coaching staff said “look we just need you to get some games in….keep your head up and you’re our first call up” rather than the direction they went with now. 

For the record, I'd have bailed on Gauthier no problem. Same with Hajek. In a vacuum. Contextually, I don't think it would have made a big difference because I think the player thinks he's due the position Kreider or Kakko have right now. He's on the outside looking in almost any way you cut it because most of the real competition — the roster competition, performed better than him or are on veteran contracts that they can't quickly stash in the AHL for a short while.