The smile is indelible. The skill is undeniable. And it seems like soon enough, every Rangers fan is going to see it.

Young forward Vitali Kravtsov, the No. 9-overall pick a year ago, was a dynamo, the best player on the ice during the first scrimmage of prospects camp in Stamford, Conn., on Wednesday afternoon.

“I want to be a fun guy, because when you’re not smiling, you’re not happy,” the bubbly 19-year-old Russian said, choosing not to use an interpreter as he gets a better handle on the English language. “Everybody here is so fun, it’s good.”

If Kravtsov is having to play his way out of the shadow of this year’s second-overall pick, Kaapo Kakko, then it was hard to notice. He dazzled with his stick-handling in tight spaces, drawing cheers from the small crowd at Chelsea Piers Connecticut as he left defenders in his wake. He then drew a cross-checking penalty from touted defenseman Adam Fox — who, of course, thought Kravtsov went down rather easy — which resulted in a penalty shot Kravtsov buried behind goalie Adam Huska.

“If the five-hole is open,” Kravtsov said, “you shoot it five-hole.”

What also proved encouraging was the banter between Kravtsov and Fox in the locker room after the game. Although Kravtsov’s English is a work in progress for answering questions with the media, it seems like he can communicate just fine in hockey-talk.

“He’s an easygoing guy,” Fox said. “Another skill player. He’s high energy and a fun guy to be around.”

The camaraderie is already tangible among this group of Baby Blueshirts, who are aware how the organization is rebuilding and that many of them will factor into plans for this season. That includes Kravtsov, who is listed at 6-foot-3 and 181 pounds after having spent the 2018-19 season playing against men in the KHL.

He came over and signed his entry-level deal in May because the Rangers think he has a real shot to make the opening-night roster. A game in a public rink with the blazing summer sun outside is not the best indicator for how he will fare surrounded by veterans when training camp opens in September. But it did show he was a notch above most of those around him on this one day.

“It was a good game because a lot of good guys,” Kravtsov said. “It’s so interesting because you talk a lot with [players from] Sweden, Finland, America. Young guys. It’s so interesting.”

The Rangers’ draft last weekend in Vancouver, British Columbia, was one for the ages, as they were able to make the highest pick in their history and took Kakko, the man-sized Finnish winger who also had his moments in the scrimmage Wednesday.

But a year ago, general manager Jeff Gorton had himself three first-round picks, and used them all.

The first was on Kravtsov. The second came after they traded up to No. 22 to take defenseman K’Andre Miller — probably the second-best player on the ice Wednesday, who will return to Wisconsin for his sophomore season this fall. The third was Swedish defenseman Nils Lundkvist at No. 28.

That night in Dallas, Kravtsov was the star. He then played in the World Junior Championships around the New Year in Vancouver, and excelled while his team won bronze. He showed not only his skill, but also his competitiveness on the tighter confines of a NHL-sized rink.

“It’s a little bit different,” he said about the smaller ice surface compared to most international competitions. “Russia is skills, no speed. Here, a lot of speed and a lot of skills. A lot of smart players.”

That tournament made it clearer that Kravtsov might be ready for North America this year. And if this one summer scrimmage is any indication, it seems he deserves every opportunity to show he can be part of this year’s Rangers team.

“It was a good game, had some fun” Kravtsov said. “Show what you can.”