Canucks prospect Vitali Kravtsov scores slick goal during KHL pre-season game

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Cooper Godin
August 23, 2024 (10:49)

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Vancouver Canucks prospect Vitali Kravtsov scored slick goal during a KHL pre-season game on Friday.

One Canucks prospect to keep an eye on this season is 24-year-old Vitali Kravtsov. Now, there's a ton of different opinions to that people have on what a 'prospect' actually is, but given that Kravtsov has only played a total of 64 NHL games between the New York Rangers and Vancouver Canucks, it's safe to say he's still in that category.

After the conclusion of the 2022-23 season, Kravtsov signed a two-year deal with KHL club Traktor Chelyabinsk, but the Canucks still issued him a qualifying offer to retain his rights. In his first season back in the KHL, Kravtsov played quite well, registering 34 points (18 goals, 16 assists) in 55 games.

Training camp is already underway in the KHL and pre-season games have begun recently, with Kravtsov playing a big role for Traktor this week. Yesterday, he scored on a one-timer while on knee to bring his team within one goal against Lokomotiv Yaroslavl.

Earlier today, Kravtsov and Traktor Chelyabinsk were back in action taking on HC Sibir Novosibirsk and the Canucks prospect scored one of the best goals we've ever seen from him.

The Vladivostok native used his speed to break away from his opponent, comes in down the wing and despite a Novosibirsk defenceman sliding trying to get the puck off him, he's able to fire the puck short-side on the goalie to give Traktor a 1-0 lead less than two minutes into the game.

With the new KHL season quickly approaching, Kravtsov is hoping to take his game to the next level and if he's able to do that, then it wouldn't be a shock to see him return to North America next season with the Vancouver Canucks.