Thursday, June 16, 2022. 08:59
New York Rangers general manager Chris Drury reiterated the team’s confidence in Vitali Kravtsov on Wednesday, despite the 2018 first-round pick having played just 20 NHL games to date.
Kravtsov signed a one-year, one-way contract extension with Rangers last week after turning down a contract offer to stay in the KHL with Chelyabinsk’s Traktor.
“Never have we considered him not to be one of the world’s elite,” Drury said of the 8e overall pick in the 2018 draft. “We are excited to have him back and be a part of the squad. »
Rangers loaned Kravtsov to the KHL club in November after he refused to be demoted to Hartford’s Wolf Pack in the American League. The 22-year-old winger had 6 goals and 13 points in 19 games with the Traktor, adding 7 goals and 10 points to his record in 15 playoff games.
Kravtsov made his NHL debut in the 2020-21 season, registering two goals and two assists in 20 games with the Rangers.
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