3 New York Rangers who won’t be back next season

Rangers who won’t be back: Vitali Kravtsov

While 22-year-old prospect Vitali Kravtsov was just signed to a contract extension mere days ago, he remains one of the likeliest players on this Rangers roster to be headed elsewhere by the time next season begins.

At the beginning of this past season, Kravtsov was slated to be sent down to AHL Hartford at the conclusion of training camp but instead chose to refuse his assignment, putting something of a strain on the relationship between player and team. One of the players that New York envisioned would be a part of their next youth movement, the team saw enough of him in training camp to see that he wasn’t ready for a full season at the game’s highest level.

After requesting a trade shortly after his demotion, New York chose to hold on to him but loaned him and his contract to the Traktor Chelyabinsk of the KHL for the season where he played in 19 games and posted a 6-7-13 line.

Kravtsov rejected a contract extension to remain in Traktor’s organization and instead signed a one-year, $875K extension with the Rangers. While an extension could mean the team wants to hold on to him, it’s even likelier that putting him under contract makes him more tradable despite the fact that the other two right wing options on the top two lines are likely to leave the club via free agency.

Kravtsov and his strained relationship with GM Chris Drury have been played out of the Rangers organization and he will probably be on another club at this point next year, regardless of his exciting and as of now untapped potential.