NHL Prospect Profile: Vitali Kravtsov

Statistics

Scout Quotes

Kravtsov is a skilled offensive player. He pairs his great skating ability with outstanding hands. He can stickhandle in a phone booth. This makes him absolutely deadly in one-on-one situations. The best part of his game is that he can make all these moves and handle the puck while moving at top speed. If defenders back off to respect his speed and stickhandling, he has a deadly arsenal of shots that he can put on net. Kravtsov has a very good wrist shot and snapshot. Both shots feature a quick release. With the hands to also score in tight, he’s a natural sniper.

Kravtsov has the potential to be a top-six winger in the NHL but has some areas of his game that need refinement. The natural skill is definitely there and makes him a real boom-or-bust prospect. He’s shown his high-end offensive ability and has had one of the best KHL playoff runs by a teenager, ever. – Last Word on Hockey

AJ’s Thoughts

Kravtsov has some excellent tools, including fantastic hands and high-end skating ability. He’s explosive on his feet with great edgework and enough power in his game to get to the dirty areas of the ice at will. The question is does he want to? When he answers in the affirmative, he’s one of the best forwards in this draft class, flat out. There are questions about his plans in coming to North America but I don’t really care. Washington waited more than three years for Evgeny Kuznetsov to leave Traktor, Kravtsov’s current team, and it’s hard to say he wasn’t worth the wait.

Kravtsov was nothing short of dominant in the KHL postseason and as an 18-year-old that’s downright ridiculous. His regular season was pretty unimpressive but he tore apart the playoffs in a way the KHL has not seen from a teenager in the past. If the postseason version of Kravtsov is the one teams are getting moving forward, they’re getting an immense talent who could be a highlight of this draft class.

Highlights

Avalanche Fit

He’s big, he’s immensely talented, and he’s Russian so naturally Colorado is a great fit. Kravtsov has so much helium right now I’m not sure he’s going to be available at 16. Given their recent forays into investments in Russian players, it wouldn’t be a surprise at all for the Avalanche to be interested in him. They may have to wait a year or two but if Kravtsov pans out, his talent could have a transformative effect on Colorado’s top six.

Rankings

#6 Hockey Prospect
#28 Future Considerations
#16 McKeen’s Hockey