Rangers' Vitali Kravtsov benched again by Gerard Gallant for Saturday's game vs. Hurricanes
Vitali Kravtsov of the Rangers skates against the Kraken at Madison Square Garden on Friday. Credit: Jim McIsaac
RALEIGH, N.C. — Vitali Kravtsov was benched by coach Gerard Gallant on Saturday night as the Rangers took on the Metropolitan Division-leading Carolina Hurricanes at PNC Arena.
Kravtsov had returned to the lineup after a four-game benching in Friday’s 6-3 victory over the Seattle Kraken at the Garden. He played 10:46 and did not impress Gallant enough to warrant another look Saturday. The coach went with fourth-line center Jake Leschyshyn instead. Jimmy Vesey moved up to the second line.
Gallant was asked if he hadn’t seen enough from Kravtsov playing on the second line with Vincent Trocheck and Chris Kreider on Friday or just wanted a different mix against Carolina.
“Little bit of different mix. Little bit of both, actually,” Gallant said. “I wasn’t disappointed in him, but we wanted a different mix tonight. So a combination of both.”
Kravtsov has three goals and three assists in 28 games.
On Friday, Gallant had said: “We want to give him an opportunity. I mean, he played [17] games in a row and I thought it fell off a little bit. And you know what? You’re getting back in, go play with some good, skilled players, and we’ve got to find his spot and see if that works out.’’
Could this be the end of the line for Kravtsov with the Rangers? If it is, the 23-year-old could be dealt before the March 3 trade deadline.
Kravtsov, the No. 9 overall pick in the 2018 draft, walked out on the team last season and went home to Russia when he didn’t make the Opening Night roster. He re-signed as a restricted free agent during the summer.
Before this season, Gallant said: “It didn’t work out last year real well, but this year he’s come in with a great attitude and he’s done everything we asked, and he wants to be a good player.”
Anthony Rieber covers sports media and business and professional sports (you know, games and trades and things). He has worked at Newsday since Aug. 31, 1998, and has been in his current position since Jan. 1, 2026.
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