Kitchener Rangers 2019-20 Season Thread (Part 2)

[Ward Cornell]

So I think it is safe to say MM is not selling!!

Mentioned on previous posts is that long playoff runs need a stud goalie which the Rangers clearly have. Another factor that can lead to long run is a deadly powerplay. The rangers had a great one last year during the regular season but this year the powerplay looks dull and they haven’t made any adjustments...

gareffa out - Bergqvist in
Hugg out - Hawel in

would like to see some changes made to this weather it’s personnel or overall structure of the pp. any thoughts here ?

Trade thought ..


Jan Jenik is an import 19 yo from Hamilton who is top 5 in scoring. Definitely not returning next year. We have a 17 year old import in Ville O another 2 years left. That would be a good swap option (plus a pick or two from the rangers) for both teams. Rangers would still have to add on the backend and I would say another 19 in the bottom six.

Go Rangers

Cpl things...a really good PP is great to have but the PK is much more important to a team to have. The PK allows the team to play aggressive
without any real repercussions....especially with a real good goalie behind the team.
Second....can imports be traded within a yr of being drafted or signed by a OHL team?? (not sure if rule got changed)
Which would rule out the trading of either one of our import players.
I guess through a lot of manipulation there could be a gentlemens agreement within the CHL not to pick VO on waivers and let him sign with Hamilton (.00001%
of this happening, this is almost beyond comprehension this will ever happen).

 

[EvenSteven]

Cpl things...a really good PP is great to have but the PK is much more important to a team to have. The PK allows the team to play aggressive
without any real repercussions....especially with a real good goalie behind the team.
Second....can imports be traded within a yr of being drafted or signed by a OHL team?? (not sure if rule got changed)
Which would rule out the trading of either one of our import players.
I guess through a lot of manipulation there could be a gentlemens agreement within the CHL not to pick VO on waivers and let him sign with Hamilton (.00001%
of this happening, this is almost beyond comprehension this will ever happen).

100% agree on your special team points. Our PP was our strength last year and George Burnett solved it in the playoffs making it ineffective.

However, DeBoer showed here years ago if you have a top PK, you can play the aggressive type game without it hurting too much.

Regarding imports. I thought I read on these boards a couple months ago somebody posting a rule change where first year imports could be dealt in the week leading up to the deadline. I may be corrected on that though.

 

[dirty12]

As of last season, first year imports can now be traded after the Christmas break. I’m not sure if it has happened yet.

 

[ohloutsider]

As of last season, first year imports can now be traded after the Christmas break. I’m not sure if it has happened yet.

Yes started last year but the catch phrase is the import must request the trade in their first year. Basically they have a NTC for their first year.

 

[EvenSteven]

Win in OS tomorrow. Win vs the Soo on Friday. But lose in London on the 28th.

Based on our play, and the play of the Knights, I’d like to change my prediction. I have a hard time believing we lose to that team with their better players off at the WJC.

 

[Ward Cornell]

Based on our play, and the play of the Knights, I’d like to change my prediction. I have a hard time believing we lose to that team with their better players off at the WJC.

The Knights depth or lack of it is showing this year. This probably can be contributed to Mark Hunter being one of the best evaluators of talent. The Knights for a few yrs after MH left to go to TML was still playing his draft picks. Now most of the player on the ice is from the regime that took over for Hunter. It will probably take a few more drafts for hunter picks to make their mark once again.

 

[GeoBlue]

Based on our play, and the play of the Knights, I’d like to change my prediction. I have a hard time believing we lose to that team with their better players off at the WJC.

That was my thinking as well. I thought it would be a good opportunity to steal one in London. I have them losing to Saginaw at home as I think they are strong, and at that point, the Rangers should definitely be considered a target by other teams, if they are not already.

 

[Fischhaber]

That was my thinking as well. I thought it would be a good opportunity to steal one in London. I have them losing to Saginaw at home as I think they are strong, and at that point, the Rangers should definitely be considered a target by other teams, if they are not already.

There's a big target on their backs tonight. The Greyhounds are 25-7-2 against the Rangers in their last 34 games and haven't lost the season series for more than a decade. I'm expecting a very entertaining matchup as two red hot teams clash.

 

[Buttsy]

The Greyhounds are 25-7-2 against the Rangers in their last 34 games

Best time to play the Soo is in the playoffs especially after the first round? Generally a great Regular Season Team though.....little less so this year but quickly improving. Good Luck you are on a real roll for sure. London not so much!

 

[Fischhaber]

Best time to play the Soo is in the playoffs especially after the first round? Generally a great Regular Season Team though.....little less so this year but quickly improving. Good Luck you are on a real roll for sure. London not so much!

The first round is easy for them, but the later rounds have been difficult. You won't catch me shedding a tear for the Knights though! A few more losses will make a nice Christmas gift for me.

 

[Ward Cornell]

The first round is easy for them, but the later rounds have been difficult. I'll definitely be pulling for you guys against London no matter what happens tonight! They deserve all of the losing they can get.

I believe Buttsy is a London fan.

 

[Fischhaber]

I believe Buttsy is a London fan.

I think you are right haha. I assumed a Rangers fan in this thread.

 

[Buttsy]

I think you are right haha. I assumed a Rangers fan in this thread.

No problem I took a bit of a swing at the Soo so in fairness I have to be able to take one back! Both the Rangers and the Greyhounds are great representatives for the OHL.

 

[EvenSteven]

As the Soo may be selling, and as we may possibly be buying, a couple 19-year-olds who may interest us from the Soo might be worth a watch tonight. F-Zack Trott and/or D-Holden Wale could come on the cheap and would be good OA possibilities next year.

 

[Fischhaber]

As the Soo may be selling, and as we may possibly be buying, a couple 19-year-olds who may interest us from the Soo might be worth a watch tonight. F-Zack Trott and/or D-Holden Wale could come on the cheap and would be good OA possibilities next year.

The Greyhounds have stand pat written all over their roster. I wouldn't rule out a trade, but I think it's going to take a solid offer. Trott will probably demand more than what Struthers just got (2nd, 3rd, 6th), due to the extra year.

Wale is more likely to be moved if they get a defenseman in a potential Hayton trade. For now, I think they just keep their solid defense and try to win a couple of playoff rounds.

 

[EvenSteven]

If you’re going to play like that in the 3rd, you better have a 9 spot on the board after the 2nd.

 

[Fischhaber]

If you’re going to play like that in the 3rd, you better have a 9 spot on the board after the 2nd.

The Greyhounds found a hole on Ingham and really exploited it. Every shot was going high in the third period. Has that been an issue before this game?

 

[bobber]

If you’re going to play like that in the 3rd, you better have a 9 spot on the board after the 2nd.

Rangers must of been thinking of going home for Christmas in the third. Great run though. Back at it on the 28th.

 

[EvenSteven]

The Greyhounds found a hole on Ingham and really exploited it. Every shot was going high in the third period. Has that been an issue before this game?

Not really. To be honest, he’s been pretty much stellar the whole season. Not really any weaknesses at all. However, when your team mates create turnover after turnover after turnover, something has to give.

If not for Ingham tonight, it would’ve been a lot worse.

 

[Fischhaber]

Not really. To be honest, he’s been pretty much stellar the whole season. Not really any weaknesses at all. However, when your team mates create turnover after turnover after turnover, something has to give.

If not for Ingham tonight, it would’ve been a lot worse.

I thought ingham was superb well into the third period. I don't know if it was coincidence, but they got that first goal and kept going high on him with every shot for the last 10 minutes. That 3rd period was really run and gun for both teams. Brkin stepped up after being a little shaky through 40.

 

[OhSheila]

The 10 in a row was amazing. The change in the way certain players are used and in the team's approach to the game has worked. We've seen some great hockey, and we still will.

The Soo played their usual strong game against us and never gave up. They poured it on in the 3rd and were rewarded with a win.

With the win streak over, I see us able to win 60-70% of the games we have left. Our Midwest Division is so tight. At the Christmas break after 32 games we're at 17 wins, 11 losses, 2 OT losses and 2 SO losses for 38 points. We're 4 points behind first place Guelph who have 42 points in 31 games. We're also just 4 points ahead of last place Erie who have 43 points in 32 games. We're 5th in the conference just 3 points up on 8th place Owen Sound.

I'm super happy with the way the team has rebounded from losing 10 of 12 games. Looking forward to the Christmas break and for the second half of the season.

Thanks to every poster here for the great sharing of opinions, observations, possible trades and the general love of the Rangers and the OHL. Have a great Christmas!

 

[GeoBlue]

Okay, every back to the sell camp! LOL! The team did not look like themselves. The passes were off and there were many giveaways. Perhaps the team was out celebrating the festive season together before leaving for their families?

But seriously, the streak was going to end sooner or later. But there was a lesson to be learned. The main one was that the Rangers took their foot of the pedal after that 3rd goal and were not able to recover. If the team has any sort of chance of winning it all, they will have to learn how to play 60+ minutes of hockey. The game showed us that Ingham will not be able to steal every game for us. Did he show a vulnerability high on the glove hand side? Not sure but some of the giveaways and blind passes I saw last night were brutal and SSM took advantage.

At the point it was 3-1, our goal scorers had a combined 8 goals for the season, and 2 of the players were D. That means that our guns were not getting the job done. The Soo clogged up all the lane ways to their net and when we did get a good shot off, often their goaltender had clear view of it. I sit at that end and from what I could see, often there were 5 players below the hash marks. And at the other end, it seemed that Ingham seemed to be screened quite a bit.

I was absolutely right about the Rangers being a target because of the win streak. We sit right where the Soo players go off to their dressing room and it felt and sounded like they had just won the Memorial Cup. We gave them a standing O as they did everything they had to in order to win.

I listened to the Farwell/Pope show afterwards and some were calling to fire the coach. LOL! Funny. Anyhow, I don't anticipate any lengthy streaks come after the holidays as there are some real tests coming. London will be without some of their big guns but they are always tough in their barn. Saginaw was my prediction to end the streak. Trade deadline is coming up quick and some tough decisions will have to be made. Whatever happens, I look forward to exciting brand of hockey in 2020 as we have seen in the last 11 games, whether we sell or not.

 

[sbpointer]

The post holiday meeting at Bud Gardens is an interesting one. Coming off the break a London team thats stuggling without the big guns but go in with a W and the Rangers flying high with a complete line up and going in with a L .
Any way you look at it LDN V KIT are always fun games. It's a lot of fun with the conference so tight this year. I'm glad I just get to sit back and watch it would be tough being a decision maker on any of these teams this year

 

[Coaches Coroner]

Shoutout to @Tim Wallach , he mentioned a while ago that Langdon has good goal scoring upside if he goes to the net, versus staying on the perimeter...and that's exactly how he scored. I've felt Langdon has been coming on a bit more offensively, more confidence.

 

[Rangers True Blue]

Up 3-1............we've got this!! It's like they turned off the switch and while visions of sugar plums dance in their heads. Not thinking ahead to the next game...but thinking ahead to going home for Christmas. BOOM......the Soo took advantage while the Rangers watched them play. Should have won that game but let their foot off the pedal big time.

And no, Ingham doesn't have "a weakness"....he was screened on two of those goals (I'm down that end) and another came off a weird angle. Prior to the breakdown, Rangers played a good 40 minutes with several chances that didn't go their way......albeit with some breakdowns that haven't been part of their game during the streak. Well, the streak is off their back....LOL......and hopefully, a lesson learned.

On another topic.........not sure about Farwell and team moving their interviews with the coach and players to AFTER their call-ins. Personally, I don't like it and don't have the patience to sit through the call-ins. OH....and a comment by Farwell was something like "...and then in the 3rd, the Rangers reverted back to the hockey that McKee had to face." FOR 10 GAMES......we have seen hockey that McKee was not getting out of the Rangers. His removal and the subsequent winning streak have shown this. Farwell and Pope were wrong about McKee's dismissal....and MM was right. Just accept it and move on.

On that note......sell or no sell? Only MM knows for sure. I still can't see him emptying what cupboard the Rangers have. MERRY CHRISTMAS ALL............enjoy the holidays.