{"id":214084,"date":"2021-03-29T22:45:01","date_gmt":"2021-03-29T19:45:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/en.buradabiliyorum.com\/vitali-kravtsov-likely-to-start-out-on-rangers-third-line\/"},"modified":"2021-03-29T22:45:01","modified_gmt":"2021-03-29T19:45:01","slug":"vitali-kravtsov-likely-to-start-out-on-rangers-third-line","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buradabiliyorum.com\/en\/vitali-kravtsov-likely-to-start-out-on-rangers-third-line\/","title":{"rendered":"#Vitali Kravtsov likely to start out on Rangers’ third line"},"content":{"rendered":"

“#Vitali Kravtsov likely to start out on Rangers’ third line<\/strong>”<\/p>\n

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David Quinn said Brendan Lemieux was shipped to Los Angeles because of the \u201clogjam\u201d of forwards the Rangers have, but the head coach proclaimed that the team has yet to establish a plan for the very player that has caused the congestion in the lineup.<\/p>\n

Vitali Kravtsov has been with the team for a week, but since Quinn has been away from the team due to COVID-19 protocols since the 21-year-old was cleared to play, there app<\/a>arently hasn\u2019t been an opportunity to discuss a course of action.<\/p>\n

\u201cI literally just said hi to him this morning for the first time,\u201d Quinn said prior to Sunday\u2019s 5-4 loss in Washington, his first game<\/a> back behind the bench since March 15. \u201cWe have so much going on here, we haven\u2019t talked in depth about what the plan is. The plan is obviously for him to continue to practice, and when we feel he can help, we\u2019ll get him in there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Now that Kravtsov is in the mix, the Rangers coaching staff has some decisions to make. The 2018 ninth-overall pick is widely considered to be a top-six player, but the Rangers\u2019 top two lines are pretty set in stone following a surge of offense the last handful of games.<\/p>\n

It is most certainly a logjam up top, which will likely force Kravtsov onto the third line to start out. Lemieux primarily flanked the fourth line during his Rangers tenure, but it would be a disservice to bury Kravtsov\u2019s skill that far down the lineup.<\/p>\n

\"vitali
Vitali Kravtsov will likely have to wait to crack the Rangers top six.<\/figcaption>
Nick Homler\/N.Y. Rangers<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Julien Gauthier has been the third-line right wing since Brett Howden was designated to the COVID-19 protocol list. With the center set to return any day, Kravtsov would likely replace Gauthier.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith Kravtsov here and Howden getting healthy, some guys doing well in Hartford, it just seemed like the right thing to do,\u201d Quinn said of trading Lemieux in exchange for the Kings\u2019 2021 fourth-round pick. \u201cIt\u2019s going to give [Lemieux] an opportunity to maybe play in a little bit more of a role that he\u2019s looking for. He was a good player for us and we\u2019re going to miss him.\u201d<\/p>\n