Yesterday at practice, Gerard Gallant said that Vitali Kravtsov returning on Thursday is a possibility. But he also added that he doesn’t want to mess with things that already work, and that he likes Alexis Lafreniere on the second line. Kravtsov appeared to have the inside track to playing with Artemiy Panarin, but the injury unfortunately may have cost him that spot. If he’s slated for the third line, and all signs point to that, then the Rangers have some roster questions to answer.
Vitali Kravtsov returning – but who goes?
The Rangers will need to scratch a player with Vitali Kravtsov returning, two if Ryan Carpenter returns on Thursday as well. Kravtsov and Filip Chytil seem to be a lock on the third line, and it is likely that Sammy Blais will get teh 3LW spot there. That line could be very effective with forechecking and wreaking havoc on depth opposing players. If deployed properly, they could be a tenacious third line that scores and is defensively sound.
That would mean Jimmy Vesey, who has been surprisingly fine defensively, would move to a shutdown role as the 4LW. Barclay Goodrow isn’t going anywhere, which means Carpenter or Ryan Reaves fill out that fourth line. It’s been clear for a while that Dryden Hunt is the 14F, so he may actually wind up on waivers if the Rangers are looking to bank cap space (and they are).
That would give the Rangers a dangerous top six that isn’t changing, a sheltered third line capable of scoring a ton while not being defensively inept, and a shutdown fourth line. Assuming Carpenter and Goodrow play over Reaves, that is.
Leaving the top six alone is the right choice
I’m sure that Vitali Kravtsov returning and going back to the second line has crossed a few people’s minds. After all, he was supposed to start the season there and had been working with Panarin regularly after each preseason practice. To no one’s surprise, both Kakko and Lafreniere have taken advantage of their opportunities, The ice time splits at even strength are much closer to even with the kids as well, even the third line with Chytil.
The rebuild wasn’t going to work without both Lafreniere and Kakko playing like they belong in the top six. Vitali Kravtsov returning shouldn’t impact that plan, even if he was supposed to have that spot to start the season. As long as those six are firing on all cylinders, and they are, then they aren’t going to be broken up. And that is the right move.
Things will get interesting if/when the top six hit a cold patch, and they will. Will Gerard Gallant move a kid out of the top six? Or will he let them play it out?
At least, for the time being, the Rangers are putting their top two kids in positions to succeed. It took them long enough.
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