Kravtsov Reflects on Draft and Dreams of Playing at The Garden

Vitali Kravtsov is a really special player in Russian hockey. He doesn't like being compared to Washington Capitals' Evgeny Kuznetsov much, repeating time and again that his name is Vitali Kravtsov. However, there certainly are plenty of similarities between the two. Style, based on profound understanding of the game, unorthodox moves- implemented in every shift, signature Chelyabinsk skating and even self-mockery.
"Vitali reminds me of Kuznetsov very much," says German Titov, who has 624 NHL games under his belt and coached Kravtsov on Traktor. "The first time I saw Evgeny was at the World Juniors in Calgary. I get the same vibe from Vitali - exquisite skating, incredible agility, great hands and similar stickhandling. Although, Kravtsov still has a lot of room to grow."
Having a laugh, even at their own expense, smiling regardless of anything, enjoying life and having as much fun playing hockey as possible, which could be a philosophy of its own - Kravtsov and Kuznetsov have that in common. Not to mention the fact that both of them are world-renowned Chelyabinsk hockey school alumni.
"He's a very laid-back kind of guy. It's great to come to the dressing room and feel the positive vibe. He has enough positive energy for the whole room. On top of that, he keeps asking questions. He stays on his toes and is eager to learn," adds Titov.

At 6-4 and 183 pounds, Kravtsov did not know what was going to happen at the NHL entry draft, but enjoyed the entire process. Looking back at combine testing, Kravtsov says he got to meet many of his peers and even made a few friends - Rasmus Dahlin is on the list. The moment he's most happy to reminisce on is when Gordie Clark announced his name at American Airlines Center.
"I didn't know the Rangers were going to select me at the draft, although I thought they might," shares Kravtsov. "I really wanted to join the organization but I wasn't sure of anything. I talked to Rangers scouts during the playoffs last season. I also spoke to Rangers representatives at the combine testing without an interpreter."
Being able to converse in English is just a nice bonus. What the Rangers brass must have been impressed with was Kravtsov's performance in the KHL playoffs. Traktor Chelyabinsk turned quite a few heads getting to the conference finals and Kravtsov was a big part of the success. No one could stop him. He created a ton of scoring chances, racked up points - 6 goals and 5 assists in 16 games - and was quite a nuisance for defensemen and goaltenders.

While he is always trying to be more productive on the offensive end, Kravtsov has also been focusing on improving his defensive play and working on faceoffs. Representing Russia at the Four Nations tournament in November, Kravtsov's linemate Nikita Anokhovsky - one of the team's centers - got hurt. Somebody had to replace him and Kravtsov was offered the job. Not only did he accept it, Kravtsov excelled at it to the point that he's set to be Russia's top-line center at the World Juniors. Notably, he can't even remember if he played center back in peewee.
"I want to do well at the position,"said Kravtsov. "I like playing center. Although, playing on the wing is also great. It's a nice feeling when you can play different positions and stay productive. Playing wing is different from playing center but I wouldn't say there's a massive gap between the two."
As he is focusing on improving in every facet of the game and helping Traktor win games, Kravtsov also still keeps tabs on what he hopes will be his future teammates.

"I keep in touch with Filip Chytil and Brett Howden, who I met at development camp. We text back and forth. Also, Alexandar Georgiev and, of course, Pavel Buchnevich. He's my favorite player on the Rangers and I follow the team closely. I dream of playing at Madison Square Garden. I was given a tour there - the place is legendary. They have plaques over there commemorating special events - there's one for every day of every month of the year."
Kravtsov also continues his studies. He recently defended his theses in college Vladivostok - in his hometown. He intends to get a higher education in the future, as he finds the studies to be a great tool for self-improvement.
"I'm majoring in hockey coaching," explains Kravtsov. "When I was working on my theses, I called my coaches to seek advice. I learned a lot of little details about tactics and physical conditioning. It was exciting. It was a great experience and I learned a lot from it. Right now my life is hockey. Nobody knows what tomorrow is going to bring. Higher education is always useful."
Kravtsov loves Vladivostok but Chelyabinsk has a special place in his heart as well. While the former is his hometown, the latter is his hockey hometown. How is he going to like New York? He's not afraid of the Big Apple. On the contrary, Kravtsov is intrigued by it. He doesn't mind the fast pace of life or throngs of people.
He doesn't have a role model. Kravtsov says he wants to be himself. Obviously, he wants to learn from different players but creating something of his own is the priority. He is living his dream and says he has his family to thank. Knowing what his loved ones had to sacrifice so he could have his life in hockey, Kravtsov wishes to repay them some day.
"I'm really grateful to my family. I always listen to their advice," he confirms. "My dad and mom sacrificed a lot for me. When I moved to Chelyabinsk with my mom, my dad stayed in Vladivostok because of his job but he would come and visit us every other month. My sister studies in Canada. Life has spread us all over the globe and we rarely spend time together. In the future, I would love to buy a house for my parents. Although, nothing will ever repay the debt I owe them for everything they've done for me. I will owe them forever. None of this would have been possible without them."
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