Canucks sign Vitali Kravtsov to one-year, two-way contract

The Vancouver Canucks are bringing a name back from the past, signing Russian right winger Vitali Kravtsov to a one-year, two-way contract for the 2025-25 NHL season. 

The 25-year-old previously played for the Canucks in the 2022-23 season, after the team acquired him at the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline from the New York Rangers in exchange for a seventh-round draft pick in 2026 and forward William Lockwood.

However, he struggled to produce, scoring a goal and two points in 16 games with Vancouver, before spending the last two seasons with KHL club Traktor Chelyabinsk. Prior to his time with the Canucks, the former ninth overall pick from the 2018 NHL Draft scored five goals and 10 points in 48 games with the Rangers. 

Yet, he rediscovered his scoring touch in Russia, posting 92 points in 121 games across two seasons. In the most recent campaign, he scored 27 goals and 58 points in 66 games, ranking sixth in KHL scoring behind noted former Canucks, Sheldon Rempal and Josh Leivo, among others.

He also helped Traktor in an extended playoff run, scoring six goals and seven points in 19 games before they fell in the Gagarin Cup Final to Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in five games.

Rejoining the Canucks, the six-foot-two forward will look to translate his game better to the NHL level than in the past, and will also have the option of playing significant minutes with the AHL’s Abbotsford Canucks as they look to defend their Calder Cup title. 

At the NHL level, Kravtsov will have an opportunity to impress in preseason, as the Canucks look to kickstart an improved campaign after finishing fifth in the Pacific Division in 2024-25.

The Canucks open the NHL preseason on Sept. 21 against the Seattle Kraken and hit the ice for their regular season opener on Oct. 9 against the Calgary Flames.