Kitchener Rangers 2018 Offseason Thread

[Ward Cornell]

The coach mentioned the reason he plays Gareffa on D is because the new analytic guy says the numbers are better for the team with him back there. Also said Ladd and Peterson are ready to go if Hall is out. Please don't shoot me. I am only the piano player. The coach said this.

But I suspect Eric Guest will be dropped back on defense. Why play a natural defenceman there when you can drop back an undersized forward!

 

[Rangers True Blue]

I've heard rumblings that MM is going all in and that trades were imminent. Now, with the Hall injury, the plan may require some updating.

And for those who watched the game last night vs OS, it was interesting to hear the OS announcers view of the Rangers team versus the opinions of some in this thread.

And agreed......if ADB.....and Opilka don't look like they're coming back, say so and more on.

 

[rangersblues]

The coach mentioned the reason he plays Gareffa on D is because the new analytic guy says the numbers are better for the team with him back there. Also said Ladd and Peterson are ready to go if Hall is out. Please don't shoot me. I am only the piano player. The coach said this.

Our coach should ask our analytics guy how the pp is doing using 5 forwards and giving up a short handed goal every bleeping game.

 

[Mach85]

I have been in favour of going after DiPietro for a while now. But many on here absolutely won't hear of it.

If we were to bring in DiPietro, that would free up an overage spot. Then after we go after the high end offensive d-man this team needs (Dineen/Day) we should then bring in an OA stay at home D who can play the minutes Hall would have played. That OA D wouldn't be as expensive as a 19 year old D.

Then moving Garreffa up front would improve secondary scoring and improve the goals against. He doesn't belong back there.

Agreed. We're in for a penny, in for a pound at this point. The Rangers have as much to offer as any team, more or less, when it comes to draft picks. We've seen what the returning roster looks like for next season - that's the beginning of a down-cycle. Picking up Stanley and Sherwood, coupled with the fact that we've been building toward this for a couple years now, means we have to go for it. Grab Dipietro and Dineen for sure, move Gareffa back up front.

Let's hope Karlsson can get the forwards fully committed to D. This offence hasn't clicked yet like it should, going by the talent up front. Hugg seems to be on the upswing after an adjustment period, and Liska is on his first season in NA too, so hopefully we'll see a stronger second half there. We need Mash to be among the top scorers as expected. Maybe adding Dineen to help the transition can facilitate that, along with more time with Sherwood. Then in we can grab another vet D depending on what's left in store, awesome.

Then we enjoy the ride, the process of being buyers for the first time in awhile, and hope it ends in a ship. Then next year, sell DiPi.

 

[GobigorGohome]

Wow,you guys are pretty Hard your team.
I thought I was bad as a Knights fan.

 

[Tim Wallach]

Wow,you guys are pretty Hard your team.
I thought I was bad as a Knights fan.

It's because nothing is worse than the hockey purgatory of perpetual mediocrity. And it's compounded by the fact that we have most definitely had rosters full of contention-worthy talent, but the coaches haven't had the tools and tactics to match their competitors.

It's like setting up a guy in the crease for an open net tap-in repeatedly and have him keep shooting wide to the right and never once even adjusting and trying to do something different. We'd even take a miss left if it meant trying new tactics.

 

[Ward Cornell]

It's because nothing is worse than the hockey purgatory of perpetual mediocrity. And it's compounded by the fact that we have most definitely had rosters full of contention-worthy talent, but the coaches haven't had the tools and tactics to match their competitors.

It's like setting up a guy in the crease for an open net tap-in repeatedly and have him keep shooting wide to the right and never once even adjusting and trying to do something different. We'd even take a miss left if it meant trying new tactics.

A while back i posted that I would need to see an improvement of the coaching if I would be in favour of "buying".
I'm more and more getting close to selling but not so much for draft picks but really solid 1 or 2 yr players.

But I suspect more of the status quo with my first tee-off at approx March 21.

 

[Ward Cornell]

This is the projected forward lines for next season according to Brown not necessarily in this order: Just an FYI.
Joseph Garreffa-Rickard Hugg-Adam Liska
Nick McHugh-Greg Meireles-Cole Carter (OA)
Eric Guest-Riley Damiani-Jonathan Yantsis
Carter Tresoor-Michael Petizian-Matt Gordon

I suspect for defence we can add Connor Hall as an OA in if his career isn't over with his injuries!

 

[ScoresFromCentre]

Wow,you guys are pretty Hard your team.
I thought I was bad as a Knights fan.

Fan expectations have not adjusted southward in the post-DeBoer era, for better or for worse.

 

[Tim Wallach]

Fan expectations have not adjusted southward in the post-DeBoer era, for better or for worse.

I find that adjusting your expectations southward under any circumstances in life is the first step in settling for less than you could have with a little ambition.

 

[ScoresFromCentre]

I find that adjusting your expectations southward under any circumstances in life is the first step in settling for less than you could have with a little ambition.

No disagreement here. But ambition and powerlessness together can be immensely frustrating.

 

[Tim Wallach]

No disagreement here. But ambition and powerlessness together can be immensely frustrating.

Exactly. And hence I give you this forum

 

[bobber]

Fan expectations have not adjusted southward in the post-DeBoer era, for better or for worse.

When you go back to before the Deboer era things might have been worse as far as expectations went at times. One long time STH (40+) years told me he use to come to games and cheer for the other team way back then because the Rangers were that bad at times. I think there have been some real good squads and coaches over those years here for sure but there was a time right before they hired Deboer when the powers that be never took it that seriously. Reading all the OHL team threads the Ranger fans are far from the only ones that complain about the situation of the hockey team in their respective cities. It can be a long time between contenders for most.

 

[K2]

Wow,you guys are pretty Hard your team.

When you go back to before the Deboer era things might have been worse as far as expectations went at times. One long time STH (40+) years told me he use to come to games and cheer for the other team way back then because the Rangers were that bad at times.

True & I think we're back to those days, Bobber. My Knights fan friend who sits beside me when in town can't believe the fans deriding the Rangers all game, and my seats are in a long-time STH section. Unless it's a Ranger rout this happens almost every game.

I think almost everyone rode the excitement of 2003 & 2008 for a few years but the last 4 years you can see fans turning. Seats that were 100% full through playoffs are probably empty 1 in 4 games and few nearby STH bought playoff packages the last few years. Used to be if I couldn't go to a game last minute, I'd post on kijiji Friday afternoon and someone would pickup within a hour or so but I can't always readily give them away now.

I think fan interest/attendance is at a precarious 'tipping point' sort of like I recall in the early/mid 90s doldrums. SteveB has been pretty smug given the perpetually-rosy financials of the team but finally woke up and realized something was amiss last year when renewals were off and there was little subscriber interest come playoffs. I had 6 season seats, then 4 and currently 2 and while I'm a diehard 5 decade fan I'm not certain I'll be a STH next year.

 

[bobber]

Just a point on little Mike Petizian. This kid is 5'5" 165 pounds. He threw three hits last week on one shift. He actually launched his body sideways at one opponent on a hit into the end boards. Last night he hit an Attack player and one TV guy said man that was the hardest hit I have ever seen. The Attack scored on the play but were angry at Petizian. Kid may be small but he has a set of iron ......

 

[EvenSteven]

And I believe in the game he threw the three hits he was one of the only guys to show up that night. His reward? The press box next game when they moved Garreffa up front to try and improve scoring.

When will this team reward play like that of Petizian's and conversely, when will they scratch no- show vets?

 

[rangersblues]

True & I think we're back to those days, Bobber. My Knights fan friend who sits beside me when in town can't believe the fans deriding the Rangers all game, and my seats are in a long-time STH section. Unless it's a Ranger rout this happens almost every game.

I think almost everyone rode the excitement of 2003 & 2008 for a few years but the last 4 years you can see fans turning. Seats that were 100% full through playoffs are probably empty 1 in 4 games and few nearby STH bought playoff packages the last few years. Used to be if I couldn't go to a game last minute, I'd post on kijiji Friday afternoon and someone would pickup within a hour or so but I can't always readily give them away now.

I think fan interest/attendance is at a precarious 'tipping point' sort of like I recall in the early/mid 90s doldrums. SteveB has been pretty smug given the perpetually-rosy financials of the team but finally woke up and realized something was amiss last year when renewals were off and there was little subscriber interest come playoffs. I had 6 season seats, then 4 and currently 2 and while I'm a diehard 5 decade fan I'm not certain I'll be a STH next year.

Losing is bad enough in itself. But the hockey is just boring and plain bad most of the time. I can't recall who it was but a poster earlier in the season commented on how few tape to tape passes there were throughout any given game. I agree.

 

[K2]

Losing is bad enough in itself. But the hockey is just boring and plain bad most of the time.

It's true & some of the all-time most memorable games for me were the keenly contested matches, both wins & losses, in the 2008-9 'down' season.

 

[BogeyJ]

Looking forward to tonight's game! Hopefully the Rangers come out and play the entire game the way they played the third. Need more attention to detail in front of our own net too. The amount of fluke or odd goals in tight is alarming but the way they put the puck in the Owen sound net was encouraging. Maybe the more balanced lines approach will be the answer to consistency.

 

[Ward Cornell]

So McKee on the radio today mentioned that Hall is out longterm but it gives playing time for Ladd and York to get more playing time. Sounds like Garreffa is back on defence fulltime!..

Time to let Peterson go and play well in the Q.....

To paraphrase Strother Martin in Cool Hand Luke.............."What we have here is failure in development"

 

[bobber]

I think Yogi Berra was talking about the Rangers with all there injury problems when he said" The future ain't what it use to be". MM has almost no choice but to make some type of move to shore up the back end now with Hall out. I think some one making decisions about personal is missing the boat. Ladd is not going to lead the Rangers to the promise land this year and either the coach or MM is refusing to play Pederson.

 

[OhSheila]

Joseph Garreffa. 8 assists in his last 2 games. 9 in his last 3. 2nd in team points. Not bad for a guy who has had to fill in on defense.

They weren't the prettiest wins, but two good comeback wins in a row over a division rival.

 

[bobber]

I agree with OhSheila on these last two games were shaky at best. You have to give Joey G credit for his contributions latley. Without them these are loses. Watching young Ladd out there. He looked nervous at the speed of the game. I noticed when he is stick handling his eyes look down at the puck quickly. Most vets are sure of where the puck is and keep heads up. The Attack come at you quick and force the D to move the puck fast which seem to give the Rangers fits. One obvious flaw the Rangers have is their break out. This team struggles big time getting the puck out of the D zone. Anyhoo in the end they won. Thank God for shaky goalies. As comédian Redd Foxx once said" Beauty is skin deep but ugly goes right to the bone". What a description of some of the hockey we have watched .

 

[Ward Cornell]

That was one of the most disheartening wins I've seen. Thank goodness for the addition of Sherwood, just don't where this team would be without him. One player of concern I have during most of this season is Adam Mascherin, his play has looked lackadasical for most of the season. Then last night in the 2nd he took a slight hit in front of the OS net and he grimised like he was in quite a bit of pain. Maybe his shoulder is still an issue???
Thank goodness the Rangers played a team that's reeling more than they are! UGH

 

[BogeyJ]

That was one of the most disheartening wins I've seen. Thank goodness for the addition of Sherwood, just don't where this team would be without him. One player of concern I have during most of this season is Adam Mascherin, his play has looked lackadasical for most of the season. Then last night in the 2nd he took a slight hit in front of the OS net and he grimised like he was in quite a bit of pain. Maybe his shoulder is still an issue???
Thank goodness the Rangers played a team that's reeling more than they are! UGH

You know the old saying "a wins a win" right??

Well last night was a back to back win against second in the Midwest. Why so negative all the time?? Mascherin has played his best hockey the last two games all season.

Oh and gareffa on D ? Another what.. 4 point night??