Vitali Kravtsov's time as a Vancouver Canuck is over, as the former top prospect has signed a two-year contract with Traktor Chelyabinsk of the KHL.

The Canucks acquired Kravtsov from the New York Rangers in exchange for Will Lockwood and a 2026 seventh-round pick. Overall, this was a minor move, but the Canucks were hoping that the change of scenery would benefit the 2018 ninth-overall pick. However, the 23-year-old winger continued to struggle at the NHL level following his move to Vancouver. In 16 games, as a Canuck, he had just one goal and one assist.

If the Canucks wish to retain Kravtsov's NHL signing rights, they will need to send him a qualifying offer. This, in turn, would open the door to a Kravtsov potentially returning to Vancouver once his KHL contract expires. However, the Canucks are not guaranteed to do this given how his stint with the club went.

Overall, the Canucks took a chance on a former top prospect and had nothing too significantly to lose. Although his NHL career never truly took off, it will be intriguing to see if Kravtsov can make an impact in the KHL from here.

In 66 career NHL games split between the Rangers and Canucks, Kravtsov had six goals, six assists, and a minus-3 rating.

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