Rangers Roundup: Watch Kravtsov score, DeAngelo update, and much more

Yesterday, Vitali Kravtsov scored the lone goal in Traktor’s loss. The young promising Rangers prospect, went to the net and showed his elite hand-eye coordination. First, watch him score and then let’s talk about where he fits.

Vitali Kravtsov scores another strong goal

In this clip, you can see Vitali on the PP, driving to the net. His skill set shows when he gets in tights. He has great hands and reach. What is also key to note is that it was Kravtsov gaining the blue-line and starting the play.

Putting Kravtsov at center?

Vitali Kravtsov has 2 goals on 20 shots through after 4 games this season. His willingness to shoot is promising. While Kravtsov is more comfortable as a winger, he has played a little center and prospect expert, Craig Button would like to see him there.

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Kravtsov fires the puck (Traktor/KHL)

Button answered a Twitter question with regards to Kravtsov’s ceiling. ” [He’s a] solid middle 6 forward. Will provide offense but not be prolific. I have liked the idea of having him expand his game & play center. I think he becomes more of a two-way center than an offensive winger when he plays the wing. I think Vitali is still scratching out his niche.”

Interesting thought. Would you like to see the Rangers convert him from wing to center, ala Kevin Hayes?

Tony DeAngelo (minor update)

Yesterday’s Rangers Roundup was focused on Larry Brooks’s article implying the team needed to traded him or risk losing Nils Lundkvist. According to Brooks, “a contract of longer than one year for DeAngelo would all but ensure losing 20-year-old righty defenseman Nils Lundkvist to unrestricted free agency on June 2, 2022, without ever getting the Swede to Broadway.”

While this is a possibility, it remains likely an extremely low one to happen. Brooks also ignores the fact that Tony DeAngelo could still be traded after signing his next deal if the Rangers were afraid of such a scenario.

On Sunday, I spoke with a league contact who told me, “Do you recall the last time a player, a first round pick no less, actually did that?” That should at least eliminate Brooks’ main reason why they would trade DeAngelo. It doesn’t mean they wouldn’t move him, but for fear of Nils waiting it out to sign elsewhere isn’t the case.

Trading for Steven Stamkos

One final note. Late yesterday I wrote about how the Rangers went after Steven Stamkos twice, and would now make sense to go after him again? It caused quite a stir and led to some pretty insulting remarks on social media.

The problem is some people read that as a “trade rumor”. It wasn’t. It was purely a speculative article that explored an idea. An idea that the Rangers tried twice before.

It is real easy to criticize people these days online. Too many feel that if you put something on a website, that gives them a license to say whatever they want at the author. While you are absolutely free to disagree, insulting is pretty ridiculous and unnecessary. Especially when most of the people doing so, didn’t read past the headline.

NHL and New York Rangers news

Catch up on all the latest headlines and rumors at The Daily Goal Horn.

https://www.thedailygoalhorn.com/nhl-headlines-september-14-2020-lightning/

Anthony Scultore has been covering the New York Rangers and the NHL since 2014. His work also appears at... More about Anthony Scultore

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