Canucks sign forward Vitali Kravtsov to one-year, two-way contract
The 25-year-old had 58 points (27 goals, 31 assists) in 66 games with Traktor Chelyabinsk of the Russia-based Kontinental Hockey League last season.
He added six goals and an assist in 19 playoff games, helping Chelyabinsk reach the Gagarin Cup final.
The six-foot-three, 186-pound forward has six goals and six assists in 64 NHL games with the New York Rangers and Canucks over the 2020-21 and 2022-23 seasons.
Kravtsov was originally selected by the Rangers in the first round, ninth overall, in the 2018 NHL draft.
He was acquired by the Canucks on Feb. 25, 2023, for forward William Lockwood and a 2026 seventh-round pick.
Thursdays
Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter.
'Vitali had a strong season in the KHL and was an impact player for his team,' Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin said in a release. 'In his two seasons in Russia, he has worked hard on his game, and we look forward to seeing where Vitali is at when he comes to training camp.'
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 5, 2025.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Vancouver Sun
2 hours ago
- Vancouver Sun
Tkachuk family to grace deluxe edition cover of EA Sports NHL 26
The cover of NHL 26 Deluxe Edition is a family affair for the Tkachuks. The National Hockey League and EA Sports announced on Wednesday that Ottawa Senators captain Brady Tkachuk, along with his brother Matthew of the Florida Panthers and father, Keith, who had a legendary career, will be featured on the cover. The game will be released next month. Keith Tkachuk suited up 1,201 NHL games for the Winnipeg Jets, Phoenix Coyotes, St. Louis Blues and Atlanta Thrashers. He finished with 538 goals and 1,065 points during his career and is wearing a Blues jersey on the cover. Brady, 25, has made his mark since being drafted No. 4 overall by the Senators in 2019. In 512 games in his NHL career, Brady has scored 191 goals, 213 assists and 404 points. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. He's also a force to be reckoned with physically and helped lead the Senators to the playoffs for the first time in eight years this past season. 'Growing up, Matthew and I dreamed of playing just like our dad,' Brady said in a news release. 'Even now, his influence on how we play and prepare remains huge. It's an honour to be featured on the cover and having him standing alongside us makes the whole thing even better.' Brady will also be featured in Prime Video's second season of FACEOFF: Inside the NHL. People will get a look at Brady's life away from the Canadian Tire Centre while also having the opportunity to see how he interacts with his teammates, coaching staff and the club's management. Brady is in his fifth full season wearing the 'C' with the Senators. A four-time NHL all-star, Tkachuk has emerged as one of the league's top players. In a lengthy interview with Greg Whyshnski, Keith threw cold water on any speculation that Brady isn't happy with the Senators. 'I wouldn't believe everything you hear. I think after what happened with Matthew in Calgary, everyone just assumes that's going to happen with Brady,' Keith said. 'But Brady loves it there. Brady has cemented himself in the community. They're a team on the rise. They got a great bunch of young players. They're core players. The fans and the city itself treat him so well. He wants to be a big part of that moving forward. So I don't think he's going anywhere.' The show will also give people a glimpse of Brady and Matthew suiting up for Team USA together for the inaugural 4 Nations Faceoff held in Montreal and Boston this past February. Matthew is coming off his second straight Stanley Cup win with the Florida Panthers and, as long as he's healthy, the expectation is the duo will suit up together again for the Americans at the 2026 Winter Olympics being held in Italy. Keith said it would mean a lot to the family to see their sons competing on the world stage. 'It would mean everything. It really would. I mean, just for them to both be named among the first six selected is amazing,' Keith told the website. 'But it's more about them playing together at such a high level, in the most watched thing probably in all sports, the Winter Olympics. I know they enjoyed playing together at the 4 Nations. I mean, it was something to see. It was. They had so much fun. 'The worst part about the whole thing was when they went to their training camp for the 4 Nations and they iced me out. They knew I had FOMO. I knew it was Matthew. He wouldn't let Brady answer my phone calls. They iced me out for four days until I finally went to Montreal to see them.' Matthew is proud that the trio is sharing the cover. 'My dad, Brady and I are all unique and play the way we want to,' Matthew said. 'Sharing the cover of NHL 26 is an extension of that.' bgarrioch@
CTV News
2 hours ago
- CTV News
Canucks sign forward Vitali Kravtsov to one-year, two-way contract
Vancouver Canucks' Vitali Kravtsov (91) celebrates his goal against Chicago Blackhawks goalie Alex Stalock (32) during the second period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, on Thursday, April 6, 2023. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck VANCOUVER — The Vancouver Canucks have signed forward Vitali Kravtsov to a one-year, two-way contract, the NHL club announced Tuesday. The 25-year-old had 58 points (27 goals, 31 assists) in 66 games with Traktor Chelyabinsk of the Russia-based Kontinental Hockey League last season. He added six goals and an assist in 19 playoff games, helping Chelyabinsk reach the Gagarin Cup final. The six-foot-three, 186-pound forward has six goals and six assists in 64 NHL games with the New York Rangers and Canucks over the 2020-21 and 2022-23 seasons. Kravtsov was originally selected by the Rangers in the first round, ninth overall, in the 2018 NHL draft. He was acquired by the Canucks on Feb. 25, 2023, for forward William Lockwood and a 2026 seventh-round pick. 'Vitali had a strong season in the KHL and was an impact player for his team,' Canucks general manager Patrik Allvin said in a release. 'In his two seasons in Russia, he has worked hard on his game, and we look forward to seeing where Vitali is at when he comes to training camp.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published Aug. 5, 2025.
Montreal Gazette
2 hours ago
- Montreal Gazette
Off-season over/under: How many goals will these Habs score next season?
Montreal Canadiens The NHL is in the dog days of the off-season. Sure, Montreal Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes has managed to swing trades the last two Augusts — acquiring Patrik Laine in 2024 and shipping Jeff Petry in and out in 2023 — but for now, it's the calm before the pre-season storm. The Habs already had a busy summer. On the eve of the NHL Draft, they acquired offensive defenceman Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders and signed him to an eight-year, $9.5M AAV extension. Then they added a trio of Quebec-born forwards in Zachary Bolduc, Samuel Blais and Joe Veleno to compensate for the losses of Christian Dvorak, Joel Armia and Emil Heineman. The Habs finished in the middle of the pack in scoring last season: 17th in the league with 243 goals. The club expects improvements on offence to come from within. Readers: Would you pick the over or under on the goal total for these five Canadiens this upcoming season? 1. Patrik Laine: over/under of 25 goals In his debut Habs season, the Finnish sniper scored 20 in 52 games, good enough for 31.5 had he played all 82 games. Laine has had trouble staying healthy in his career: the last time he suited up more than 70 times was the 2018-19 season. Last training camp, he suffered a knee sprain that kept him out until December and he didn't show blazing speed upon his return. But if he's healthy, few in the league possess a shot as potent as his. There's also the motivation of being a pending unrestricted free agent next summer. 2. Juraj Slafkovsky: over/under of 25 goals For two consecutive seasons, the former first overall pick in 2022 has come out of the gate slowly, only to pick up the pace in the second half. After an injury-riddled rookie campaign, the 6-foot-3, 225-pound winger scored 20 and 18 goals in his next two seasons, but considering his chemistry with the top line, more is expected as he develops. At just 21 years old, is this the season he improves his consistency on the scoresheet? 3. Ivan Demidov: over/under of 20 goals Who really knows what to expect from the Russian rookie? He didn't look out of place in two regular season and five playoff games after unexpectedly coming over from Russia, and after watching Lane Hutson last season capture the first Calder Trophy by a Hab since Ken Dryden, fans are clamouring for Demidov to make it back-to-back. It's easy to get carried away with the 19-year-old forward, but there could be growing pains as he adjusts to a new country and new league with less time and space to create offence. 4. Zachary Bolduc: over/under of 19 goals In his rookie season for the St. Louis Blues, the former Quebec Rempart potted 19 goals, good enough for fourth among first-year players. Thirteen of those came after the 4 Nations Face-Off break. Is it a matter of Bolduc getting acclimated to the league, or was it an unsustainable hot streak? He was a sniper from the bumper in junior and that carried over with seven power-play goals for the Blues. Will he get enough power-play time in Montreal to eclipse his 2024-25 total? 5. Kirby Dach: over/under of 14 goals For two consecutive campaigns, the big centre has had his season cut short due to knee injuries. Management was critical of his preparation entering 2024-25 after the previous season was wiped out by injury. He responded to the long layoff with a 10-goal season before catching the injury bug yet again. It's perhaps his last chance to reach his potential in Montreal, since he's in the last of a four-year deal he signed when the club acquired him during the 2022 Draft. Dach hit a career-high in goals with 14 in his first season in Montreal. This story was originally published
