Kravstov: The Revenge?

So, the Rangers loaned Vitali Kravstov to the KHL. Now he's owning it. Vitali has 5 goals in the first six games inccluding two last night. That's unheard of for a 20 year old, and you'll recall that his Draft +1 season in the KHL was age significant and he is way aheand of that pace.  He's playing with confidence and physicality. He's running Traktor's first power play from the right half wall. And he's being defensively responsible.  First, this is great news for the Rangers and second, why couldn't they let him do those things for Hartford? Whatever they did shut off his confidence and his game disappeared. Now it's back. They better get the recipe.

By the way, after the weirdness of last season, a lot of the prospect pundits have practiced large scale revisionism. Some have even downgraded VK from top 6 potential, while others have said he can't skate, when in fact he's alway had plus speed. There are times when fast athletes move more slowly and that's when they're not sure or uncertain and thinking too much.  You see it in football and hockey. To play fast you need confidence and certainty and when you're too discombobulated, you don't have either.

Kravstov has both now, and the Rangers have to feed and nurture them.  He's once again a top prospect.