PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Vitali Kravtsov won’t be joining the Rangers for their playoff run, The Post has learned, but the winger remains in good standing with the organization and plans are being made for him to arrive in New York early. this summer in order to get a position. head start in training camp for 2022-23.
Sources said the determination was made after a friendly conversation between Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury and Kravtsov’s agent, Daniel Milstein. That essentially codifies the understanding between the parties from earlier in the season, when Kravtsov was given permission to join Traktor of the KHL after he left North America after being assigned to the AHL Wolf Pack late in camp.
The Rangers hierarchy is pleased, we are told, with the progress made by Kravtsov, who has been in regular communication with Drury throughout the season. The 21-year-old winger scored 13 points (7-6) in 19 regular-season games for Traktor before a 10-point outing that included seven goals in 15 playoff games before his club’s ejection in the conference finals.
Kravtsov was the ninth overall pick in the 2018 entry draft. He played in 20 games for the Rangers at the end of the 2020–21 season, recording two goals and two assists. He was expected to contend for a top-six berth this season before an unspecified lower-body injury early in training camp set him back and set off the series of events that have brought him to this point.
Filip Chytil rejoined the lineup for Wednesday’s game against the Flyers after missing the previous two games with an unidentified upper body injury.
Chytil, who has missed 10 games in total this season due to various physical problems, has added three points (1-2) in his last 12 games and seven (2-5) in his last 19 games.
Alexis Lafreniere was eliminated on Wednesday after going without a point in his last eight games following two goals and an assist in his first two games on the left flank of the third row.
The change from right wing on the top line to his natural position on the left took effect with the March 25 game against Pittsburgh in which Frank Vatrano moved into the unit with Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad.
Patrik Nemeth, who has missed four of the last five games due to what Rangers call a personal issue unrelated to the long-term effects of COVID-19, has been skating every day at the club’s training facility. The defender has played in 25 of Rangers’ last 42 games.
This 13th set of consecutive matches was the 13th time coach Gerard Gallant had split his goalkeepers in that scenario. Alexandar Georgiev, who has been given the lead six times, was in the net against the Flyers after Igor Shesterkin faced the Hurricanes in the Garden on Tuesday.
Reference-nypost.com