Kitchener Rangers 2018-19 Season Thread (Part 2)

[Rangers True Blue]

I don't mind Greg as a player.

You also may be right. He's had a great season and could be worth more.

I suppose if Liam Ham is worth two 2nds and a 3rd, that Greg is easily worth that at minimum.

He would have had a great season last year and a better season this year if he would have come here in his rookie year.

 

[Rangers True Blue]

Good for Hugg............he did well this summer in both of the Swedes tournaments.

Rickard Hugg named to preliminary roster for Team Sweden at World Juniors – Kitchener Rangers

 

[rangersblues]

The organization has often had the ability to spin its wheels. I would argue that happens in Kitchener a lot more often than people would like to think over the years. Deboer came in to rescue what was a really bad situation and get us on top again. He had total control. We got spoiled - at least I did, and gave Spott a tough time. He wasn't Deboer; I'm not sure he had the control Deboer was given. Looking back, I would love to have Spott back.

If you are looking for an answer what is wrong I think it can be easily summed up - Bienkowski. I think MM may have the ability to straighten this out. However, I'm not sure he has full control over the situation. Hiebert should have nothing to do with hockey operations as far as I'm concerned.

 

[Melrose]

Deboer was not only given control he was paid a pretty substantial salary. I thought after he left the bean counters openly stated they would not have acoach at that salary level. I don’t know what the coaches get paid but am willing to bet it is a lot less than Peter even after all these years. It’s the old saying you get what you pay for. What’s more important passing all that money to charity’s or coughing up more for better scouting and coaching.

 

[rangersblues]

Deboer was not only given control he was paid a pretty substantial salary. I thought after he left the bean counters openly stated they would not have acoach at that salary level. I don’t know what the coaches get paid but am willing to bet it is a lot less than Peter even after all these years. It’s the old saying you get what you pay for. What’s more important passing all that money to charity’s or coughing up more for better scouting and coaching.

I think if we don't put more money into coaching and scouting soon, there won't be near as much to pass on to charity. Attendance is on a definite downward trend. Not to mention the lack of playoff revenues in recent years.

 

[OHLFan90]

I think this year and next is exactly what the front office needs to experience.

Like this team is very in jeopardy of missing the playoffs this year. Even if we get in, for the sake of argument an 8th place finish, their is a very real chance that less then 5500 people come to watch London smack us around for 2 home games.

Same thing next year. This team is actually looking worse if you ask me. Especially if players like Langdon, Valade, Sebrango aren't playing higher in the line up this year. Going from 5-8 minutes a game to near 18 and expected to produce isn't development.

Missing the playoffs 2 years in a row as a fan would be painful and I get it, I'd hate to see it. But maybe thats what needs to happen for real change to happen.

Binky should have been gone years ago. Hiebert should have never been allowed in the discussion room after MM was brought onto be the GM. Scouts should have been revisited when MM was brought into be the GM.

The coaching staff needs to be rethought. Enough with the EX NHL players. Van Ryn was fine, He was also an assistant coach for 5 years before becoming a head coach. Jay McKee was an assistant for what, 1? I am not convinced he was one of even the 5 best coaches.

I saw a tweet from a guy I follow, decent guy who said that Jay McKee and his assistants work hard every day and are not the issue. Well I am pretty sure Steve Spott and CO worked hard every day, Troy Smith worked hard every day. Working hard is fine, doesn't make you a good coach.

It's crazy that even after a year like last season, one could sit here and say there still hasn't been anything to cheer about in rangers land for a long time. Development is down, hockey product is fairly lousy, Friday nights aren't the same.


We all know what hockey here in Kitchener could be. How bad A$$ friday nights can be. I remember being here every friday night from 05-10 and those where some unreal times here and honestly we could get back there. Its not going to happen over night but it could happen. We've got a great GM. Get the best coaches, the best scouts and lets get back to making this an uncomfortable place for visiting teams to play in.

 

[bobber]

Roberts can move the puck and defend off the rush ok, but without the offensive production he's kind of small and not as effective as Gareffa, say (if you're that small and so-so to decent defensively, you gotta be able to produce offensively). He left more because of ice time concerns from what I recall, wasn't looking like he was going to ge a lick of PP time due to others ahead of him. For those reasons I don't really mourn that move.

Vallati and Rippon (or one of them) would be real nice, but together it never would have been due to off ice parental issues. Such a strange situation. Damn shame. Rippon seems like a solid shutdown guy, but seeing how quick Missy traded him, maybe he only wanted to play at home. He'd help stabilize things, but I take +/- with a huge grain of salt, especially on a stacked, top team of the East (the weaker conference generally).

I think it would have helped a guy like Vuk a lot having a consistently steady and reliable D partner to help develop in his draft year. At the moment, it seems when he's on the ice, it's on him to shoulder the heavy defensive responsibilities for himself and often for his D partner.

Torgo my point on Roberts is that he can skate the puck out of his end. He isn't a scoring dynamo by and stretch but is a plus 11. As I said just dreaming but Roberts has to be better than what I see on D here at the moment even though he is water under the bridge now. Gentles who is not considered a scoring Dman and is small is our best plus/minus at 2. I still think there is something in those numbers but just my opinion. Gareffa on the other hand can move pucks and pick up points but is a minus 11 or something. All offense not much defense.

 

[bobber]

I think this year and next is exactly what the front office needs to experience.

Like this team is very in jeopardy of missing the playoffs this year. Even if we get in, for the sake of argument an 8th place finish, their is a very real chance that less then 5500 people come to watch London smack us around for 2 home games.

Same thing next year. This team is actually looking worse if you ask me. Especially if players like Langdon, Valade, Sebrango aren't playing higher in the line up this year. Going from 5-8 minutes a game to near 18 and expected to produce isn't development.

Missing the playoffs 2 years in a row as a fan would be painful and I get it, I'd hate to see it. But maybe thats what needs to happen for real change to happen.

Binky should have been gone years ago. Hiebert should have never been allowed in the discussion room after MM was brought onto be the GM. Scouts should have been revisited when MM was brought into be the GM.

The coaching staff needs to be rethought. Enough with the EX NHL players. Van Ryn was fine, He was also an assistant coach for 5 years before becoming a head coach. Jay McKee was an assistant for what, 1? I am not convinced he was one of even the 5 best coaches.

I saw a tweet from a guy I follow, decent guy who said that Jay McKee and his assistants work hard every day and are not the issue. Well I am pretty sure Steve Spott and CO worked hard every day, Troy Smith worked hard every day. Working hard is fine, doesn't make you a good coach.

It's crazy that even after a year like last season, one could sit here and say there still hasn't been anything to cheer about in rangers land for a long time. Development is down, hockey product is fairly lousy, Friday nights aren't the same.


We all know what hockey here in Kitchener could be. How bad A$$ friday nights can be. I remember being here every friday night from 05-10 and those where some unreal times here and honestly we could get back there. Its not going to happen over night but it could happen. We've got a great GM. Get the best coaches, the best scouts and lets get back to making this an uncomfortable place for visiting teams to play in.

Man Seb I think you just took the words out of the mouths of a few thousand fans. Great post!
I know this dates an old coot like myself but one of my favourite all time teams was the Bellows team. This team epitomized what I called Ranger hockey. They had a great goalie , hard nose defense and forwards that knew how to win hockey games. Most players could scrap also. Along with all of these attributes they had character. Character is a missing ingredience in today's squads. Little Petizian has some but is so small. I think Sbrango has a bit. This is why I miss the Duco's and Clarkson's of days gone by. These players got the fans into games and opponents hated playing against them especially in the Aud.

 

[MatthewsMoustache]

Just dreaming of what could have been. If Merieles came his first year. Vallati skating pucks out of our end. Rippon leading the league in plus/minus patrolling our blue line. Roberts using his speed to move pucks up the ice at the Aud. When players don't think highly enough of a franchise to want to be here there has to be an issue deep in the weeds somewhere.

Cole Carter with as many goals as Yantsis..

 

[EvenSteven]

Cole Carter with as many goals as Yantsis..

And he only cost Missy two 3rds and a 6th.

 

[OhSheila]

I remember quite a few posts expressing disappointment with receiving Carter and Burns in the Bracco trade

 

[Petes]

To KIT: C.Supryka(01), 2nd(NB 2018), conditional 2nd, 3rd.

To PBO: J.Yantsis(99)


*KIT gets the conditional 2nd if Yantsis returns as an OA next season.

Thoughts??

 

[section15]

To KIT: C.Supryka(01), 2nd(NB 2018), conditional 2nd, 3rd.

To PBO: J.Yantsis(99)


*KIT gets the conditional 2nd if Yantsis returns as an OA next season.

Thoughts??

Are you spitballing or is this posted somewhere?

 

[Petes]

Are you spitballing or is this posted somewhere?

Just spitballing.

 

[bobber]

To KIT: C.Supryka(01), 2nd(NB 2018), conditional 2nd, 3rd.

To PBO: J.Yantsis(99)


*KIT gets the conditional 2nd if Yantsis returns as an OA next season.

Thoughts??

Not enough IMO. Yantsis could hit 40 goals on a line with skilled vets.

 

[EvenSteven]

To KIT: C.Supryka(01), 2nd(NB 2018), conditional 2nd, 3rd.

To PBO: J.Yantsis(99)


*KIT gets the conditional 2nd if Yantsis returns as an OA next season.

Thoughts??

From the Rangers point of view, I would do the deal. However, why would Peterboro make this deal if they are not in contention?

 

[EvenSteven]

From the Rangers point of view, I would do the deal. However, why would Peterboro make this deal if they are not in contention?

I say this despite the fact I have no idea on the player coming our way-just that he is young and that he was a third round pick in this league. Since Peterboro is in the other conference, we don't get a chance to see these players too often.

 

[GeoBlue]

I remember quite a few posts expressing disappointment with receiving Carter and Burns in the Bracco trade

It's disappointing that they are not with us.

 

[GeoBlue]

Man Seb I think you just took the words out of the mouths of a few thousand fans. Great post!
I know this dates an old coot like myself but one of my favourite all time teams was the Bellows team. This team epitomized what I called Ranger hockey. They had a great goalie , hard nose defense and forwards that knew how to win hockey games. Most players could scrap also. Along with all of these attributes they had character. Character is a missing ingredience in today's squads. Little Petizian has some but is so small. I think Sbrango has a bit. This is why I miss the Duco's and Clarkson's of days gone by. These players got the fans into games and opponents hated playing against them especially in the Aud.

There was an excellent stretch starting with the Bellows years. The Tucker/Presley/Puhulski etc. days. Shortly after we had another cup run with Rice/Dionne/Firth etc. We were the 80's version of the Knights today.

 

[Petes]

From the Rangers point of view, I would do the deal. However, why would Peterboro make this deal if they are not in contention?

The idea would be remaining competitive this season and next season will be our “all in” year when Yantsis will be one of the better OA’s in the league.

 

[GeoBlue]

I agree Bobber but what the heck has gone wrong? Great fan support, great city with several Universities in close proximity, decent arena and a team with incredible history quite frankly. I don’t get it at all, even last years team that was reasonably successful was a quick “one year and done” type of situation?

I think the Team needs a complete overhaul with a focus on re-inventing itself. Hold games that have special players in history honoured and celebrate those past successes. It’s like the Team has lost its identity but with the kind of fan support they get that should not have happened?

Would love to see it turn around all it will take is a few good Hockey minds?

Agree with the above. But perhaps the problem is that the word is getting around that there is no form of development in Kitchener.

 

[GeoBlue]

He would have had a great season last year and a better season this year if he would have come here in his rookie year.

Not sure about this. I mentioned development in my previous post. Would Merieles have "developed" in that first year or would he have been a cast off rookie rotting on the bench waiting for this turn on the ice? Perhaps staying in Ottawa gave him an extra year with a skillful coach? I do think he is rebounding to where he should be and has the leadership to be the full time captain.

 

[bobber]

The Kitchener Rangers announced today they have acquired overage defenceman Cole Cameron from the North Bay Battalion.
In exchange, the Battalion will receive Kitchener’s 8th round pick in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection.
The 20-year-old, Johnstown, Ontario native was brought on as a free agent to the North Bay Battalion in 2016.
“We would like to welcome Cole to the Rangers,” said general manager Mike McKenzie. “We look forward to seeing him contribute as a member of our team.”
Cole Cameron
Position: D
Shoots: R
Height: 6.00
Weight: 190
Birthdate: 1998-05-09
Hometown: Johnstown, ON
Draft:

 

[MatthewsMoustache]

The Kitchener Rangers announced today they have acquired overage defenceman Cole Cameron from the North Bay Battalion.
In exchange, the Battalion will receive Kitchener’s 8th round pick in the 2022 OHL Priority Selection.
The 20-year-old, Johnstown, Ontario native was brought on as a free agent to the North Bay Battalion in 2016.
“We would like to welcome Cole to the Rangers,” said general manager Mike McKenzie. “We look forward to seeing him contribute as a member of our team.”
Cole Cameron
Position: D
Shoots: R
Height: 6.00
Weight: 190
Birthdate: 1998-05-09
Hometown: Johnstown, ON
Draft:

i don’t see the point of this. another chase campbell trade. gonna take away from xhekaj’s ice time. stupid

 

[SYWTom]

They’re trying to stop the blowouts
Blowouts aren’t good for player development either