It looks like the ninth overall pick of the New York Rangers is heading back to North American after a short stint back in the KHL. Vitali Kravtsov has posted a lengthy message to his official Instagram account in Russian. It translates as follows:
I would like to say to the fans, thank you very much for supporting and experiencing in such a difficult period !! To thank the coaching staff, management, team staff, and of course the players who it was nice to play with in the same team and see each other in the locker room, this is the situation, so I wish the team great victories without injuries, and the fans patience and faith in the team, thanks Chelyabinsk , behind the black stripe is always white
It's been a bit of a tough year for the promising 19-year-old prospect. Kravtsov seemed to be a lock to make the Rangers' roster out of training camp but was instead sent to the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL where he seemed to have a tough time finding a niche. After suiting up for five games in Hartford, Kravtsov decided to exercise a clause in his contract that would allow him to go back to Russia to play for Traktor Chelyabinsk of the KHL, a team he spent parts of three previous seasons with. After 11 games with Chelyabinsk in which he recorded just three points, Kravtsov was demoted to the team's minor league affiliate in the VHL, which is based in the same city.
According to the Chelyabinsk CEO Boris Vidgof in an interview with Russian media outlet Sports.ru, Kravtsov returned from North American “dismantled and upset.” Vidgof did expand some on his quote.
“Of course, some exchanges are possible, but Vitali Kravtsov remains in the club. The guy just came, the guy plays, not everything works out.”
This all didn't sit well with the New York Rangers' management. GM Jeff Gorton, in a recent interview with the New York Post, said he was looking into the possibility of bringing Kravtsov back from Russia to return to the AHL. The point of him returning to Russia in October was to get more ice time in a competitive league. Playing in the equivalent of the KHL's minor league system isn't really the best overall option.
According to reports out of Russia, Kravtsov's Instagram post is directly related to him returning to play for the Rangers organization. It will likely be with the Hartford Wolf Pack, at least at the start.
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