Kitchener Rangers 2018 Offseason Thread

[Mach85]

Without considering piece(s) that may go for Sherwood, we're looking at something like this now:

Joseph Garreffa-Riley Damiani-Adam Mascherin
Connor Bunnaman-Rickard Hugg- Kole Sherwood
Adam Liska-Greg Meireles- Jake Henderson
Nick McHugh-Eric Guest- Cole Carter
Jonathan Yantsis/Michael Petizian

Logan Stanley-Connor Hall
Giovanni Vallati -Jack York
Kyle Gentles - Grayson Ladd
Alex Peterson

Anthony Dumont-Bouchard
Luke Richardson

Quick thoughts:

1) Thin on D. Someone had to switch to the left side, and I picked Gentles since he has the most experience of the three. Peterson could draw in again.
2) As others have pointed out, lacking that top forward to play with Mash. We could either go with the "hit them with a strong four lines" approach, or deal for that top guy. But who do we give up? Damiani will hurt us going forward, which is to be expected; but dealing him would also hurt us this year, which is a no-no when trying to contend. Dealing him for a top forward would be like taking a half step forward when we'd take a full step forward if we could keep him. Same with Meireles.

We have lots of picks, and the deal will be built around that. Who will be the young player to go? Would a combination of Guest and Ladd do it? Rights to Vukojevic (assuming he'd report)? Is Jacob Tortora waiting in the wings? Can we find a Bracco-like deal where we can trade a lesser player now and finish the deal in the offseason? It'll be interesting to see where this goes.

 

[OhSheila]

I'm concerned if it is Kole Sherwood.

When traded to Flint one of the conditions was London gets a 2nd rounder from Flint if Sherwood plays one game in the OHL this season.

Sherwood is Columbus property. Their Director of Player Personnel is Basil MaCrae. Basil is a part of owner of the Knights.

He could play one game, London gets that 2nd round pick and he gets called to the Columbus system.

 

[hedgeway]

I'm concerned if it is Kole Sherwood.

When traded to Flint one of the conditions was London gets a 2nd rounder from Flint if Sherwood plays one game in the OHL this season.

Sherwood is Columbus property. Their Director of Player Personnel is Basil MaCrae. Basil is a part of owner of the Knights.

He could play one game, London gets that 2nd round pick and he gets called to the Columbus system.

I'm pretty sure this can't happen because CHL players can only be recalled on an emergency basis once they're sent down.

Either way, I'd expect MM isn't going to acquire a player and have this happen without having some conditions on the trade.

 

[RangerNation]

I guess Gentles will fill in the gap left from the Blaisdell trade

 

[Coaches Coroner]

I guess Gentles will fill in the gap left from the Blaisdell trade

I don't think he's a permanent solution as a top 4 d on a contending team. Without giving up a roster player for Sherwood, we have a bit of a forward log jam and a hole on D. Something's got to give.

 

[RangerNation]

I don't think he's a permanent solution as a top 4 d on a contending team. Without giving up a roster player for Sherwood, we have a bit of a forward log jam and a hole on D. Something's got to give.

The way MM has run things so far, I don't think he is done dealing.

 

[Ward Cornell]

From Browns Blog...

Rangers general manager Mike McKenzie started by dealing overage defenceman Doug Blaisdell to the Sudbury Wolves for a conditional fourth round pick in 2020 around noon.
About an hour later he followed that up by acquiring 20-year-old forward Kole Sherwood from the Flint Firebirds for two second round draft picks (2019, 2020), a third (2021) and a fifth (2020).

http://therecord.blogs.com/rangers_report/

 

[bobber]

Now we might have a power play if they use this kid properly. Not too many US born players left on the squad. Use to be 9 or 10. Hendo is a good fisherman. Can't beat that either.

 

[BrunoDaBear]

How does the Sherwood trade make any sense for Flint. They give up 3 high picks for Mattinen and trade their top goal scorer away? Why wouldn't they keep Sherwood to play with Moore? Those 2 lit it up last year for Flint?

 

[MJ5]

How does the Sherwood trade make any sense for Flint. They give up 3 high picks for Mattinen and trade their top goal scorer away? Why wouldn't they keep Sherwood to play with Moore? Those 2 lit it up last year for Flint?

Flint was very thin on the backend, thats why they made the deal for Mattinen.

No one thought Sherwood would be back this year. Flint has 3 OA's already, Moore, Collela, Forrest. Moore and Forrest weren't going to be traded right now, Collela probably doesn't have much value and is off to a surprisingly good start this year. Sherwood's value was much higher then the other 3.

He's got a big time shot, will greatly help your power play big time.

 

[Jeffy3535]

MM has been more entertaining than the actual games this year. It's exciting to know we're at the beginning of a season where anything less than a championship would be a disappointment. It's been a while..

 

[BenchedGuy]

Now we might have a power play if they use this kid properly. Not too many US born players left on the squad. Use to be 9 or 10. Hendo is a good fisherman. Can't beat that either.

Kole Sherwood is US born so that will even out our quota

 

[RWML67]

Rangers are all in. I like th Sherwood pick up. Excellent scorer. Sets the price tag for acquiring goals. And it wasn’t cheap

 

[BogeyJ]

I like the trades for a few obvious reasons; the Rangers now have someone other than Mascherin and Bunnaman as formidable threats for other teams to focus on, they've improved special teams, didn't give up any of our young talent, Blaisdell was good but I've really been impressed with York and now he can be a regular and actually develop with minutes, we still have many 2nd rounders for possible other deals.

I'm just a little worried about ankle injuries and ever since the Paxton Leroux (shoulder in that case) debacle I'm always worried about damaged goods but on the flip side we weren't trading with London and secondly it's reported Columbus has cleared Sherwood so that helps my confidence in his health.

Still not ready to scream championship yet, it's still early but optimism continues to increase!

 

[jmkrangers]

Does this trade lessen the probability of a Vilardi, Raddysh, or Pu trade or do you think MM will still make some more deals at or before the deadline?

 

[Tim Wallach]

I think MM will definitely add another D. That's the only certainty.

 

[bobber]

No Anthony Dumont-Bouchard at Rangers practice. Day to day with upper body injury. Unlikely for this weekend.

 

[TcNorth]

BrunoDaBear, Collela is not off to a "surprisingly good start. It was expected. He had 25 pts. in 30 games with Flint last year and a +/- ratio of plus 15. He's certainly not the scorer Sherwood will be, but he is very good. Barclay Branch did great in getting 4 picks (including two 2nd rounders) for a player we were not expecting back and keeps Collela's line in tact and team chemistry in tact as well.

 

[Lycanthrope]

Excited to have Doug B. Any insights?

 

[BogeyJ]

Excited to have Doug B. Any insights?

Doug is a very effective "defence first" defenceman who is IMO a smart disciplined stay at home player. He won't cost you with stupid penalties either, plays an effective physical game as well. Only knock would be his inability to stay healthy all year when expected to play big minutes but for his credit has looked very good to this point this year and I hope for his sake and the wolves that he is able to stay healthy all year.

 

[Medway Bear]

I am sorry to see Blaisdell go as he has been good for The Rangers when he was healthy, but not surprised with 3 D potentially gone at the end of the season they needed to get some younger players ice time, even if they were going for it. Add in the fact it made way for Sherwood and it was a no brainer. It does leave a big hole on the backend and hopefully the young guys will step up. Alternatively maybe another trade or is there a draft pick out there that wasn't coming that may now be coming?

 

[Lycanthrope]

Doug is a very effective "defence first" defenceman who is IMO a smart disciplined stay at home player. He won't cost you with stupid penalties either, plays an effective physical game as well. Only knock would be his inability to stay healthy all year when expected to play big minutes but for his credit has looked very good to this point this year and I hope for his sake and the wolves that he is able to stay healthy all year.

Thanks, that sounds good. The Wolves need stability and someone to take care of the house so to speak.

 

[wolfpack99]

Thanks, that sounds good. The Wolves need stability and someone to take care of the house so to speak.

Blaisdell played summer hockey with #37 lajeunesse great kid wolves fan will love him.

 

[Rangers True Blue]

There's been a lot of talk here about getting an elite forward now rather than later. With Sherwood, MM delivers. Maybe, he's reading this thread?

 

[bobber]

There's been a lot of talk here about getting an elite forward now rather than later. With Sherwood, MM delivers. Maybe, he's reading this thread?

If he is I hope he doesn't take it serious. I know I have eaten a lot of crow pies over the years along with a few others