Kravtsov's 11 points were the most a player younger than 20 years old had registered in one playoff year in KHL history, passing the former mark of nine set by Washington's Evgeny Kuznetsov and Valeri Nichuskin. Kravtsov's six goals, meanwhile, were tied for the second-most by a player younger than 20 in one postseason, and just three players younger than 20 have had more goals in one playoff year, including Kuznetsov and Nashville's Eeli Tolvanen.
The historic comparisons don't stop there, as Kravtsov is one of just three players younger than 22 in KHL history to score at least 11 points in one year, joining St. Louis Blues forward Vladimir Tarasenko and Kuznetsov. Kravtsov's 11 points are the third-most by a Russian teenager in the country's top league since 1992-93, and just four behind Evgeni Malkin's 15 in 2006.
"I'm a playmaker," Kravtsov said. "I like passing, shooting. I'm a skills player."
"He's such a high-end hockey player," said Gordie Clark, the Rangers' Director of Player Personnel. "We had him as our second-best forward in the draft. Everybody was on board. We all went to see him. What he did, especially in the playoffs, certainly stamped what he was.
"His skill level, his hands and his head are through the roof," Clark added.
Clark said Kravtsov was a "completely different player" at the end of the season in the KHL following a promotion in playing time on his KHL club.
"[Young players] don't play very much in that league. Sometimes it hurts them," Clark said of Kravtsov, whom he compared to Kuznetsov. "Down the road, they're going to be good hockey players. This guy excelled in that next step and blew us away."
Kravtsov's background is a unique one. He left his home in Vladivostok before turning 10 years old to play hockey in Chelyabinsk.
"Of course it was difficult, but he went to play hockey and he made friends, but it was tough," Kravtsov said, through translation provided by his agent.
Kravtsov, the No. 3 ranked European skater in the draft, skated in 35 games with Traktor during the regular season, posting four goals and three assists for seven points, which were the second-most by a draft eligible player in on season in KHL history. That production led to Kravtsov being named the Alexei Cherepanov Award for Rookie of the Year.
