WASHINGTON — So, the Rangers career of Vitali Kravtsov ended with a whisper Saturday after 48 games, five goals and five assists, when the ninth-overall selection of the 2018 draft was sent away to the Canucks in a salary-dump trade.
Ultimately, the space that was cleared by the deal will allow the Rangers to acquire Patrick Kane from the Blackhawks, so that’s, uh, something.
But it sure does not represent much of a yield for the wing, on whom then director of scouting Gord Clark zeroed in. Noah Dobson, Oliver Wahlstrom, Joel Farabee, Ty Dellandrea and Evan Bouchard all were on the board when the Rangers selected Kravtsov.
Actually, the pick evolved into a debacle.
Kravtsov, who was told of the deal while he watched the Rangers’ 6-3 loss to the Capitals from the press box as a scratch for the seventh straight match and 11th of the last 12, recorded six points (3-3) in 28 games this season.
“He came in this year and worked hard every day,” said head coach Gerard Gallant. “I wish him the best. It’s a good opportunity for him.
“We just couldn’t find a spot for him.”
Despite being pulled after allowing five goals on 22 shots following the second period, it is not out of the question that Igor Shesterkin might get the call for 5 p.m. game Sunday against the Kings at the Garden.
Not only was the goaltender a victim of non-support, but also he was among a handful of his team’s most effective players while making a handful of spectacular saves. The netminder, though, has allowed at least four goals in four consecutive games for the first time in his NHL career, with a 4.54 goals-against average and .832 save percentage during this stretch.
Shesterkin has gone back-to-back once under Gallant, on Oct. 29-30 when he got the assignment at Dallas and Arizona.
That was under a scenario in which the Blueshirts opened that weekend with an afternoon game against the Stars before a night game against the Coyotes. So, yes, it was a back-to-back, but with additional hours of rest built into the schedule.
That mirrors this weekend.
Shesterkin has received one other back-to-back assignment in his NHL career, making 44 saves in a 3-2 victory over the Sharks at the Garden on Feb. 22, 2020, after having made 27 saves the previous night in Raleigh, N.C., in a 5-2 triumph over the Hurricanes.
Dylan McIlrath, the Rangers’ 2010 first-round selection at 10th overall who played 38 games for the Blueshirts, was in the Capitals’ lineup for the third straight game and fourth this season following his Feb. 19 recall from AHL Hershey.
The 30-year-old, who previously had stints in the Florida and Detroit organizations after being sent to the Panthers for Steven Kampfer on Nov. 8, 2016, was on the right side of the third pair and logged 15:26 while partnered with Matt Irwin.