The Rangers are struggling to win hockey games. With yesterday’s 4-2 loss to Vegas, they’ve dropped four in a row by a lopsided 22-5 count. Since Thanksgiving, they’ve won only five games to go 5-10-5. The 9-1-1 stretch prior to Turkey Day is long gone. With 40 games remaining, it’s all about tracking the organization’s top prospects around the world.
Two of their best currently play in the KHL over in Russia. The Kontinental Hockey League is also where current Rangers forward Pavel Buchnevich played before coming over in 2016. The 23-year old right wing is in his third season with the big club after playing for Cherepovets Severstal and then St. Petersburg SKA. Still a work in progress, the former 2013 third round pick taken at number 75 has seven goals and five assists in 26 contests. He hasn’t been the same player since returning from a broken thumb. Hopefully, he overcan turn it around.
While Buchnevich continues to try to find his game under new Rangers coach David Quinn, both Igor Shestyorkin and Vitali Kravtsov are winding up their seasons in the KHL. Both are expected to join the Rangers later this year. The 23-year old Shestyorkin recorded his seventh shutout in a 6-0 win for St. Petersburg SKA today over Avtomobilist. Here is one of the saves.
SKA remains one of the top teams in the KHL. The former 2014 fourth round pick selected 118th overall, remains unsigned by the Rangers. He’s in the final year of his contract with St. Petersburg SKA. In 21 games this season, he’s posted a 1.28 GAA with a .944 save percentage. Interestingly, he splits duty with former Ranger Magnus Hellberg. His numbers are eerily similar. In 24 games, he has a 1.25 GAA and .941 save percentage.
The big question is how much of Shestyorkin’s brilliance is attributed to the team he plays on. Nothing can be definitively answered until he signs and comes over to North America. The Rangers still have veteran Henrik Lundqvist signed through 2021. Alexandar Georgiev is signed through 2020 before becoming restricted. If they get Shestyorkin over, there’s no need to rush him.
As for 2018 first round pick Vitali Kravtsov, the 19-year old forward just returned to Traktor Chelyabinsk of the KHL after a good World Junior Championship for Russia. He centered the top line of Klim Kostin and Grigori Denisenko in Vancouver. Despite playing through a triceps injury, the Rangers 2018 ninth overall pick had a good tournament, registering two goals and four assists for six points in seven games. He helped Russia win a bronze medal.
Despite rumors that the triceps injury was more serious, he looked fine during Traktor’s game on Wednesday against AK Bars. It’s currently scoreless in the third period. Here’s a look at Kravtsov during a shift.
https://twitter.com/aj_ranger/status/1083005354525499394?s=19
He’s pretty shifty once he gets going. I definitely saw a good player with vision during the WJC. He sees the ice well and is able to skate into open space and find teammates on the power play. A good skill to have. Thus far, he’s produced 17 points (6-11-17) in 33 games.
The best part is he’s been vocal about committing to the Rangers once his team’s season ends. It’s so rare that a young Russian player doesn’t stay overseas for a few years before signing. It would be a big deal for the Blueshirts in their rebuild. The sooner Kravtsov comes over, the quicker he can learn the difference between the European and North American game, which is played on a smaller ice surface like Rogers Centre in Vancouver.
That’s gonna do it for this Rangers prospect update. Until next time.
Hockey Prospects Plus 