Kitchener Rangers 2015-16 Season Thread (part 4)

[Otto]

Honestly if Jones was playing it may have turned the series in the Rangers favour if he had a "Lemieux moment".

I agree, there is still some bitterness from some Knights fans about the suspension, but I believe it's been better for London without Jones in the lineup. Fewer penalties and crap, plus Thomas has been given the opportunity to step up.

 

[Mach85]

But glad to see Spott landed safely on Deboers coattails again!

 

[cujoflutie]

We've seen how one player can rile up an entire team. It could have gone either way. Remove empty netters and the Knights have outscored the Rangers by 4 goals in 3 games. It's possible that without the Jones suspension, the Knights dispatch Owen Sound in one fewer game and massacre the rangers. Or as mentioned it's possible he does something stupid and turns it around. I dont know, I don't overly like dealing in hypotheticals, we're here where we are.


About DeBoer vs. Spott is that in PD’s time here, the only years where it truly felt the rangers had no shot to win were 2002 and 2004 and those years he didn’t make any short term moves. Even 2003 when they did win it all there were people pushing for him to acquire Carlo Coliacovo but he stood pat. DeBoer didn’t leave the team in a great spot in 2008 but he did get a league championship and 2nd place in the country out of it so I wouldn’t say it all went for not. Had he not made any moves we’d still be hearing about how he had an automatic entry to the cup and did nothing.

Spotts last year anyone could see from a mile away they were not a playoff built team (ridiculously soft and unaggressive) and that one or two players wouldn’t solve anything. He basically mortgaged the future to win one playoff round.

 

[Sleeperpick]

We've seen how one player can rile up an entire team. It could have gone either way. Remove empty netters and the Knights have outscored the Rangers by 4 goals in 3 games. It's possible that without the Jones suspension, the Knights dispatch Owen Sound in one fewer game and massacre the rangers. Or as mentioned it's possible he does something stupid and turns it around. I dont know, I don't overly like dealing in hypotheticals, we're here where we are.


About DeBoer vs. Spott is that in PD’s time here, the only years where it truly felt the rangers had no shot to win were 2002 and 2004 and those years he didn’t make any short term moves. Even 2003 when they did win it all there were people pushing for him to acquire Carlo Coliacovo but he stood pat. DeBoer didn’t leave the team in a great spot in 2008 but he did get a league championship and 2nd place in the country out of it so I wouldn’t say it all went for not. Had he not made any moves we’d still be hearing about how he had an automatic entry to the cup and did nothing.

Spotts last year anyone could see from a mile away they were not a playoff built team (ridiculously soft and unaggressive) and that one or two players wouldn’t solve anything. He basically mortgaged the future to win one playoff round.

I have ZERO complaints about the Deboer ERA! Anytime you can win a memorial cup and lose in the finals of another I have no issues. I will take that anytime!!

 

[rangersblues]

We've seen how one player can rile up an entire team. It could have gone either way. Remove empty netters and the Knights have outscored the Rangers by 4 goals in 3 games. It's possible that without the Jones suspension, the Knights dispatch Owen Sound in one fewer game and massacre the rangers. Or as mentioned it's possible he does something stupid and turns it around. I dont know, I don't overly like dealing in hypotheticals, we're here where we are.


About DeBoer vs. Spott is that in PD’s time here, the only years where it truly felt the rangers had no shot to win were 2002 and 2004 and those years he didn’t make any short term moves. Even 2003 when they did win it all there were people pushing for him to acquire Carlo Coliacovo but he stood pat. DeBoer didn’t leave the team in a great spot in 2008 but he did get a league championship and 2nd place in the country out of it so I wouldn’t say it all went for not. Had he not made any moves we’d still be hearing about how he had an automatic entry to the cup and did nothing.

Spotts last year anyone could see from a mile away they were not a playoff built team (ridiculously soft and unaggressive) and that one or two players wouldn’t solve anything. He basically mortgaged the future to win one playoff round.

Looking back I'm not sure any Spott team would ever be built for a playoff run with his passive style. The only reason we had one semi-successful run was Skinner put the team on his back and others followed.

Sleeperpick - I agree about not having compaints about the DeBoer era. He took a floundering franchise and turned it into an annual contender - much like today's Knights.

 

[Tim Raines]

Looking back I'm not sure any Spott team would ever be built for a playoff run with his passive style. The only reason we had one semi-successful run was Skinner put the team on his back and others followed.

Bingo.

Spott's teams weren't pretenders due to a lack of talent. It was a lack of quality coaching. I firmly believe if you gave DeBoer that final Spott roster with Peumpel, Rieder, Leivo, Murphy, etc., he damn sure would have made a run.

 

[bobber]

Looking back I'm not sure any Spott team would ever be built for a playoff run with his passive style. The only reason we had one semi-successful run was Skinner put the team on his back and others followed.

Sleeperpick - I agree about not having compaints about the DeBoer era. He took a floundering franchise and turned it into an annual contender - much like today's Knights.

I agree about passive teams. Not many ever win a championship. In the play offs you have to grind out wins when the going gets tough. London has Heffernan , Graves , Yak and Jones. Plus McDonald who is small but not afraid to get his nose dirty. You have to have a team that can answer the bell if the opposing team wants to play physical. Deboer liked to have a few players like that on his teams. Not sure all Ranger fans like those sandpaper kids. I think they add some excitement an get the fans going.

 

[cujoflutie]

Looking back I'm not sure any Spott team would ever be built for a playoff run with his passive style. The only reason we had one semi-successful run was Skinner put the team on his back and others followed.

Sleeperpick - I agree about not having compaints about the DeBoer era. He took a floundering franchise and turned it into an annual contender - much like today's Knights.

Absolutely and most people give Spott a pass on his first year (2009) knowing he didn't have a lot to work with. The criticism is what he did when he actually had talent (Ryan Murphy as well). That passive trapping style may work in the NCAA but I have never seen a team successfully win a championship in a four round best of seven playoff format. Even the New Jersey devils, the team associated with creating the neutral zone trap was rough and tough as nails.

 

[Ward Cornell]

And now for good news....
I get to go to the cottage this weekend, I can enjoy riding my bike, I will be able to get a good start on my spring landscaping and get to help coach my grandkids baseball teams.
Who wants to stay inside cold and dark hockey arenas when we can enjoy the sunshime and warm weather??

 

[Mach85]

Disappointing third period. This series was a lot closer than the final result showed. I'm going to move on by looking at a potential lineup for next year. I've maintained that we can still contend next year, and I still believe that. We're most likely going to need to trade for one of the "big fish" to be true contenders, but MH has positioned us well for that.

This lineup assumes no US players other than Tortora reports, because late round Americans are always long shots. If that's the case, we'll need the two OA spots for dmen. Franzen is not a #1 centre, and it is rare that an import spot is also used on an OA. I also think Darby will be captain next year.

Llewellyn - Trade - Bracco
Bunnaman - Kohn - Mascherin
Henderson - Meireles - Tortora
McHugh - Guest/Damiani - Garreffa

Hora - DiPerna
Hall - Import
Blaisdell - Roberts
Villati

Opilka
Richardson

With an off-season to get back to where he was before his "mysterious illness," I expect Opilka to be one of the better goalies in the league, if not the best. This should be a contender.

 

[wings5]

Why wasn't Opilka starting in the playoffs?

 

[Ward Cornell]

Why wasn't Opilka starting in the playoffs?

He started the first game of the playoffs and was yanked after 10 minutes and 3 goals.
Since his illness in December through to early Febraury he hasn't been playing well and the Rangers went with the goalie who gave them the best chance to win.

 

[bobber]

Good luck to Robinson, Liberati and Brosnan. Hope they all do well in their futures. Rangers were in over their heads a bit in this series. Knights turned it on in the third and the Rangers sat back and tried to finish on icings. I personally don't see them contending next year. Just not enough offense and some of the same D. Hall is the prototype Dman. They need more of players like him. I like Hora and Blaisdale but no grit. Season went fast. I enjoyed the play offs. Exciting hockey and the Rangers did their best. On to the rookie camp and some trout fishing.

 

[Melrose]

Mascherin needs to learn to be a 200 ft. player. His play especially against London showed why he has not been higher in the projected draft picks or getting invites to try out with Team Canada. He can score but for a 2nd overall pick he should be showing a lot more. He didn't have any type of injury that prevented him from stepping up.

 

[Mach85]

Good luck to Robinson, Liberati and Brosnan. Hope they all do well in their futures. Rangers were in over their heads a bit in this series. Knights turned it on in the third and the Rangers sat back and tried to finish on icings. I personally don't see them contending next year. Just not enough offense and some of the same D. Hall is the prototype Dman. They need more of players like him. I like Hora and Blaisdale but no grit. Season went fast. I enjoyed the play offs. Exciting hockey and the Rangers did their best. On to the rookie camp and some trout fishing.

I was also impressed with the steps Connor Hall took this year. He's gonna be a good one in this league.

As for the offence, Mascherin and Bracco should be top 10 scorers next year. Kohn, Llewellyn, and Bunnaman could put up 50+ points each. Meireles and Tortora are two former 1st rounders entering their NHL draft years. Add one big fish via trade and I think we can be up there. I also think Roberts is gonna take a step up and produce some offence from the blueline. But I guess we'll see come next year.

 

[bobber]

Mascherin needs to learn to be a 200 ft. player. His play especially against London showed why he has not been higher in the projected draft picks or getting invites to try out with Team Canada. He can score but for a 2nd overall pick he should be showing a lot more. He didn't have any type of injury that prevented him from stepping up.

I think Mash has more to learn as a 17 year old. I think he did great stat wise with the line mates he played with. I don't think any other player from his age group did as well. He had the same points as MacInnis regular season and play offs. Not sure what people expect. Some five year vets never come close.

 

[CharlieGirl]

Kitchener was beaten by a better team. Gawd, I hate to have to say that, but it's the truth.

But when I think about it, this team may have had 1 game all season with a full lineup. First year coach, a mountain of injuries to key players, a few rookies (but not last year's first rounder), and still maintained good play throughout most of the year.

It's tough to look at now, but they probably overachieved most of the year.

Good luck to our OA's and our graduating players (MacInnis for sure).

I suspect we'll hear in the next day or two that Mascherin was playing with a messed up shoulder and a list of other bumps/bruises (not that I wish injury on any player, but I hope there was a reason for Robinson's ineffectiveness this series).

On to next year - there are a lot of OA's to choose from, and a lot to build on from this season.

 

[Neil Hamburger]

Bracco is eligible to go to the Marlies next year because he was drafted out of the USHL. The Marlies are already loaded with people fighting for jobs however, and Bracco could probably use another year of seasoning in the OHL.

 

[Mach85]

Bracco is eligible to go to the Marlies next year because he was drafted out of the USHL. The Marlies are already loaded with people fighting for jobs however, and Bracco could probably use another year of seasoning in the OHL.

Yeah, I assume he'll be sent back. The Leafs' new regime isn't about rushing guys, and Bracco has things to learn. He also was on a weight clause in the O, where he even had to sit out games so he wouldn't lose too much weight toward the end of the year. So another year makes all kinds of sense.

 

[Medway Bear]

Well last night's game was the season in miniature. Came out strong, points in the first 16 games, but only won 4 of the last 11 games. Oh well, it happens.

 

[Torts]

Thread closed. Continue off-season discussion at link below.

http://hfboards.mandatory.com/showthread.php?t=2064737