According to reports, New York Rangers prospect Vitali Kravtsov, will not be released from his contract in the KHL.
New York Rangers prospect Vitali Kravtsov’s future is still uncertain.
Traktor Chelyabinsk ended its season on March 4, but Traktor won’t terminate his contract. Therefore, he won’t be able to suit up for the Blueshirts this season.
Traktor won't terminate Vitali Kravtsov's contract, team's GM just confirmed me that, so don't expect Kravtsov to join #NYR this season
— Igor Eronko (@IgorEronko) March 12, 2019
With only a handful of games remaining, the Rangers are looking at what they have and how they set up for the future. Each player is showing his worth over the last few weeks before the long grueling summer. With the younger players flourishing as of late, it would have been nice to see him grow with the rest of the group.
In the 2018-19 season, he has seen playing time in both the KHL and international play. With Traktor, he appeared in 50 games and contributed eight goals and 13 assists.
Representing team Russia in the U-20 World Junior Classic, he had six points in seven games. During the tournament, he battled through torn triceps.
Now that Traktor will not release his contract, it is very unlikely he will suit up for the Rangers this season. It would have been a very delicate situation with his contract if he did make the jump over to the NHL at this point.
Kravtsov’s contract officially expires on April 30. According to Larry Brooks of the New York Post, signing him really wouldn’t have made much sense, for the long term.
“Kravtsov, who turned 19 two days before Christmas, is not eligible for an entry-level contract slide,” writes Brooks. “Hence, the Rangers would burn the first year of his deal by signing him this year, regardless of how many NHL games, if any, he would play.”
It is now all eyes on the 2019-20 season for his arrival.
