Kitchener Rangers 2020 Offseason Thread

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Rangers True Blue

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OHL Prospects:

Tucher Shedd – D - Compuware U15 – 6'0, 180lbs
Strong and competitive two-way defender who logged a ton of minutes for Compuware this year. Is aggressive and physical down low, but possesses the skills to play in transition too. There are some mixed reviews on his skating ability, however his vision and passing ability are top notch. With good size (6’0) and a refined skill set, Shedd would be considered a top 10 defender in the draft class if he were truly set on the OHL route.
 

Rangers True Blue

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OHL Prospects:

Tucher Shedd – D - Compuware U15 – 6'0, 180lbs
Strong and competitive two-way defender who logged a ton of minutes for Compuware this year. Is aggressive and physical down low, but possesses the skills to play in transition too. There are some mixed reviews on his skating ability, however his vision and passing ability are top notch. With good size (6’0) and a refined skill set, Shedd would be considered a top 10 defender in the draft class if he were truly set on the OHL route.
 

MatthewsMoustache

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the 2 recent American picks make things interesting. it seems as if they are both down the middle on which route to take and getting drafted by Kitchener definitely might pull them towards the OHL.

I do still want to see the twins and Parsons next season. I also think Swick's size makes him a good candidate for a 16 year old card.

I could see Shedd coming in a couple years when he can secure some better ice time as a D
 
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SYWTom

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IMO if Shedd or Lewis want to come this year, I'd sign them ASAP instead of risking never having them report. Can only have 4 16's in a game correct? Could get a rotation going so guys can get developing to make a larger impact the following season when we need them too, or raise their value as assets as trade chips.
 

EvenSteven

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Can only have 4 16's in a game correct? Could get a rotation going so guys can get developing to make a larger impact the following season when we need them too, or raise their value as assets as trade chips.

Four 16’s in a game or four 16’s to a A card. May be the latter.
 

Tim Wallach

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I totally agree SYWTom, but don't be surprised if American kids are slower to sign during these times. There are already rumblings that fewer European players will be reporting this year. Things could change by summer, but I wouldn't expect any hasty signings just yet.
 
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EvenSteven

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I totally agree SYWTom, but don't be surprised if American kids are slower to sign during these times. There are already rumblings that fewer European players will be reporting this year. Things could change by summer, but I wouldn't expect any hasty signings just yet.


In these uncertain times, should there be a big reduction in import players playing on this side of the pond, I would imagine the OHL could adjust rules to address that.

In other words, if we’re losing talent out of the league because imports may not come across the pond over the next couple years, maybe we restore the talent by adding an extra overage? Or an extra 16-year-old?
 

EvenSteven

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IMO if Shedd or Lewis want to come this year, I'd sign them ASAP instead of risking never having them report. Can only have 4 16's in a game correct? Could get a rotation going so guys can get developing to make a larger impact the following season when we need them too, or raise their value as assets as trade chips.

If these two guys want to report this season, I believe they have to be signed to A cards as they are Americans. They cannot be put on B cards and play junior B unless the rules have changed. We went through this a few years ago with the American player who languished on our roster and never played games. The name escapes me right now. But the reason he never played anywhere except on our roster is because he couldn’t be returned south of the border because those rosters were already set and rules dictated we were not allowed to send him to junior B on this side of the border.

That being the case, and these guys want to report this year, you sign to an A card as a priority. Then you sign our first round pick to an A card obviously.

Then the decision has to be made who gets the fourth A card. Either the twin brother, the goaltender, or Swick.

Say you pick the twin brother just because. The other two are signed to B cards and fall Under the 10 game rule.

Not a bad problem to have if it happened.
 

Ward Cornell

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If these two guys want to report this season, I believe they have to be signed to A cards as they are Americans. They cannot be put on B cards and play junior B unless the rules have changed. We went through this a few years ago with the American player who languished on our roster and never played games. The name escapes me right now. But the reason he never played anywhere except on our roster is because he couldn’t be returned south of the border because those rosters were already set and rules dictated we were not allowed to send him to junior B on this side of the border.

That being the case, and these guys want to report this year, you sign to an A card as a priority. Then you sign our first round pick to an A card obviously.

Then the decision has to be made who gets the fourth A card. Either the twin brother, the goaltender, or Swick.

Not a bad problem to have if it happened.
Would that be Jesse Young?
 
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MatthewsMoustache

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I doubt Shedd comes for next season. the defence is too clustered. if you trade Vukojevic, Wale and MacPherson to clear space for all these guys, you're just throwing them to the wolves. they need that veteran presence to help lead the way

I do think we might see someone come on a B card and play with the Siskins/Dutchmen. It seems like MM has picked 5 or 6 guys that could play games next season
 

MatthewsMoustache

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following the early rounds of the draft, if camp started tomorrow, we'd have something like:

Valade-Petizian-McDonnell
Langdon-Pinelli-Serpa
Martin-Fishman-Sop
Swick-LeBlanc-Dickerson

Vukojevic-Sebrango
MacPherson-Ottavainen
Xhekaj-Motew/Wale
LeBlanc

Pfeil/Parsons

my wish list for this summer includes:
- Vukojevic for picks
- Import forward (02 or 03)
- average 19 year old goalie
- OA forward (can wait until training camps are done)

and start the season with:

Valade-Petizian-McDonnell
OA-Pinelli-Import
Langdon-Serpa-Fishman
Martin/Swick-LeBlanc-Sop
ex. Dickerson

Xhekaj-Sebrango
MacPherson-Ottavainen
Wale-Motew
ex. LeBlanc

new goalie/Parsons
 
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EvenSteven

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I doubt Shedd comes for next season. the defence is too clustered. if you trade Vukojevic, Wale and MacPherson to clear space for all these guys, you're just throwing them to the wolves. they need that veteran presence to help lead the way

I do think we might see someone come on a B card and play with the Siskins/Dutchmen. It seems like MM has picked 5 or 6 guys that could play games next season

Right now today, our D is:

MacPherson
Wale
Vukojevic
Xhekaj
Sebrango
Ottavainen
Motew

We are rebuilding. So assume we move out Vukojevic, and at least one of the OA’s.
That leaves us with five. Add in the twin, that gives us six. That leaves us a spot for another 04. If that 04 is Shedd, no doubt he’ll want to be guaranteed at least decent minutes. Between the two of he and the twin, and there’s always injuries, I don’t see any reason we couldn’t accommodate. Different story if we were contending this year and did not want to trade away veterans. But we’re not.

Even if we had to trade away both OA’s along with Vukojevic, we’d still have third-year Xhekaj and Sebrango and third year aged Ottavainen.

As far as I’m concerned, we make room for Shedd.

By the way, is Shedd ranked higher than where we took him? Just wondering because if he isn’t, he likely isn’t a factor here next year.
 
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MatthewsMoustache

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Arber Xhekaj's (presumably) brother Florian is still on the board. 22 points in 32 games for the Hamilton Jr. Bulldogs as a forward. why not use the 15th on him, his brother (maybe) was a late bloomer too
 

EvenSteven

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I doubt Shedd comes for next season. the defence is too clustered. if you trade Vukojevic, Wale and MacPherson to clear space for all these guys, you're just throwing them to the wolves. they need that veteran presence to help lead the way

I do think we might see someone come on a B card and play with the Siskins/Dutchmen. It seems like MM has picked 5 or 6 guys that could play games next season

Also keep in mind:
This team went with 7 D just about every night in the second half. And not because of injury but because we chose to. Many a night a healthy forward didn’t dress a favour of a 7th D.

Though that could change next year depending on who our head coach is, it is something worth considering.

Conversely, 7 D on a regular basis could be a big negative as well. Ryan Whitney said a few weeks ago on Spittin Chiclets that 7 D is hated by all defenseman. He said that it screws up the pairings, screws up the ice time, the rhythm, etc. It is just hated by all d-men he ever played with any time they had to do it.
 
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bobber

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I totally agree SYWTom, but don't be surprised if American kids are slower to sign during these times. There are already rumblings that fewer European players will be reporting this year. Things could change by summer, but I wouldn't expect any hasty signings just yet.
McKenzie doesn't think we will see Gauthier here for a year or two.
 
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Rangers True Blue

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McKenzie doesn't think we will see Gauthier here for a year or two.
Also talked about Leblanc and Swick being familiar with other's style of play. Of course...they played on the same line with the Admirals. Add a winger that fits their play and we have a potentially strong 4th line.
 

MatthewsMoustache

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still not sold on Fantilli being a Saginaw Spirit. the unusually long pause when Kitchener went and the almost instant selection of Fantilli by Saginaw makes me think something is up.

Fantilli (a late birthday) will be in his 3rd year and NHL draft year and Pinelli will be in his 4th year in the league in 2022-23. potentially add Roman Schmidt and the rest of the supporting cast (Motew, Fishman, LeBlanc, etc.) and that team will be a force to be reckoned with. how can MM not try and go for that
 

rangersblues

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still not sold on Fantilli being a Saginaw Spirit. the unusually long pause when Kitchener went and the almost instant selection of Fantilli by Saginaw makes me think something is up.

Fantilli (a late birthday) will be in his 3rd year and NHL draft year and Pinelli will be in his 4th year in the league in 2022-23. potentially add Roman Schmidt and the rest of the supporting cast (Motew, Fishman, LeBlanc, etc.) and that team will be a force to be reckoned with. how can MM not try and go for that
The trouble with your theory is we could have taken Fantilli in the draft and used whatever draft picks that are necessary to acquire him from Saginaw now to trade for a proven vet when the time comes to compete in a couple of years. That vet would be proven and in all likelihood better than LeBlanc.
 
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Mein Yak

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The trouble with your theory is we could have taken Fantilli in the draft and used whatever draft picks that are necessary to acquire him from Saginaw now to trade for a proven vet when the time comes to compete in a couple of years. That vet would be proven and in all likelihood better than LeBlanc.
Well MM was very high on LeBlanc and I trust him so whether or not that means we have a deal with SAG in back wings or not. The bottom line is that I really like who he has taken in this draft.
 
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