Kitchener Rangers 2021-22 Season Thread

[Ward Cornell]

Just an idea....once this Covid crap has been resolved, as a STH I would seriously support the Rangers if they could organize a night for our front line workers that they all get free tickets. I'm willing to sacrifice one of my games and maybe more as a way of saying "Thank-you" to them.

Opinion?

 

[MatthewsMoustache]

Just an idea....once this Covid crap has been resolved, as a STH I would seriously support the Rangers if they could organize a night for our front line workers that they all get free tickets. I'm willing to sacrifice one of my games and maybe more as a way of saying "Thank-you" to them.

Opinion?

For sure. I have no skin in the game as I’m not an STH, but I’m sure the vast majority could get behind that.

 

[Rangers True Blue]

Just an idea....once this Covid crap has been resolved, as a STH I would seriously support the Rangers if they could organize a night for our front line workers that they all get free tickets. I'm willing to sacrifice one of my games and maybe more as a way of saying "Thank-you" to them.

Opinion?

I'm in. Great idea! (as long as it's not vs London...lol)

 

[RichieRice]

I'm in. Great idea! (as long as it's not vs London...lol)

Actually, I would prefer to give them tickets to a London game! The only time we ever win is when I'm not there.

 

[RichieRice]

I see Landeskog got the Gordie Howe hat trick in yesterday's game. Great captain.

 

[TF519]

Kitchener Rangers Jersery *SIGNED*

Looks like a deal for a good cause.

 

[LolaT200]

Any Rangers going to the OHL showcase?

 

[MatthewsMoustache]

Any Rangers going to the OHL showcase?

Schedule & Rosters — PBHH Invitational

Petizian, Serpa, Fishman & Motew

 

[GeoBlue]

Schedule & Rosters — PBHH Invitational

Petizian, Serpa, Fishman & Motew

Interesting that none of them play on the same team. ;-)

 

[Medway Bear]

I don't know if anyone is watching the world championships, there are a few ex Rangers there that I have spotted on rosters Shane Prince. Mikkel Boedker, Tobias Rieder and Adam Keefe (Ass Coach). Probably more.

 

[MatthewsMoustache]

I don't know if anyone is watching the world championships, there are a few ex Rangers there that I have spotted on rosters Shane Prince. Mikkel Boedker, Tobias Rieder and Adam Keefe (Ass Coach). Probably more.

Dominik Kubalik was another one that I noticed, though he was only a Ranger for 20 something games

 

[sbpointer]

In the Flint thread I suggested Kitchener should be pursuing Eric Wellwood as a permenant head coach. What do you guys think? I assume Mike Mackenzie is still intending to only be an interm coach. I know the Rangers are more of a promote within kind of organization but this is a great opportunity for a great longer term coach and maybe Joe Birch will influence a bit of a change in the promote from within philosophy.

 

[MatthewsMoustache]

In the Flint thread I suggested Kitchener should be pursuing Eric Wellwood as a permenant head coach. What do you guys think? I assume Mike Mackenzie is still intending to only be an interm coach. I know the Rangers are more of a promote within kind of organization but this is a great opportunity for a great longer term coach and maybe Joe Birch will influence a bit of a change in the promote from within philosophy.

I wouldn’t be against it at all. I think COVID threw a wrench in the plans of hiring a coach for the 2020-21 season (not that it would’ve mattered if they did find someone) so McKenzie just said he would take it for another year, but I don’t think that’s his long term plan at all.

As you said, they tend to promote within, but now under Joe Birch I am hoping they hire the best candidate period and not the best candidate in the organization. I am confident that they will make the right decision now with Birch who has unlimited connections in the league and Wellwood would certainly be a good add IMO.

 

[LolaT200]

MM did a great job in the dual role. The players like and respect him. I hope he stays on as long as he is comfortable with both. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

 

[MatthewsMoustache]

George Fegaras selected today by the Muskegon Lumberjacks in the USHL draft.

 

[rangersblues]

Brock Otten has posted his Mock OHL draft. For what it's worth he has Luca Pinelli falling to us. Whoever we get, I hope we take a forward in the first, especially not having another pick until late in the third round. I've never been in fan taking a dman in the first (in junior) unless his talent level is off the charts.

OHL Prospects: 2021 OHL Priority Selection Mock Draft

 

[MatthewsMoustache]

Brock Otten has posted his Mock OHL draft. For what it's worth he has Luca Pinelli falling to us. Whoever we get, I hope we take a forward in the first (in junior) , especially not having another pick until late in the third round. I've never been in fan taking a dman in the first unless his talent level is off the charts.

OHL Prospects: 2021 OHL Priority Selection Mock Draft

Normally I wouldn't be huge on picking a D man in the 1st round either, especially in a year where they haven't really played meaningful hockey. But with the current roster set up I think this is the year to do it. They currently have 12 forwards and 4 defence signed going into next season. That means if they select a D man at 17, he will have the opportunity to have a steady spot in the lineup.

There's just not much ice time to go around up front. Pinelli, Petizian, Valade and McDonnell will eat a lot of minutes. Langdon, Serpa and Dickerson (if they keep him) are all older players now. Fishman, Sop and Martin are all 18 and looked like they were going to be promising young players in 2020-21. LeBlanc and Swick are both in their NHL draft year. So unless Luca came in hot like his brother did, he would probably be buried on the 4th (maybe 3rd) line all season

 

[rangersblues]

Normally I wouldn't be huge on picking a D man in the 1st round either, especially in a year where they haven't really played meaningful hockey. But with the current roster set up I think this is the year to do it. They currently have 12 forwards and 4 defence signed going into next season. That means if they select a D man at 17, he will have the opportunity to have a steady spot in the lineup.

There's just not much ice time to go around up front. Pinelli, Petizian, Valade and McDonnell will eat a lot of minutes. Langdon, Serpa and Dickerson (if they keep him) are all older players now. Fishman, Sop and Martin are all 18 and looked like they were going to be promising young players in 2020-21. LeBlanc and Swick are both in their NHL draft year. So unless Luca came in hot like his brother did, he would probably be buried on the 4th (maybe 3rd) line all season

You have to create room whoever our first and third round picks are to play this season no matter what. We do not have that many players who are super stars that it cannot be done. Otherwise this draft is a complete loss and we'll pay dearly in 3 or 4 years.

 

[MatthewsMoustache]

You have to create room whoever our first and third round picks are to play this season no matter what. We do not have that many players who are super stars that it cannot be done. Otherwise this draft is a complete loss and we'll pay dearly in 3 or 4 years.

As it stands they have 3 picks that (unless they have NCAA commitments) will make the roster at 17, 51 & 62. My preferred way to go with that is defence at 17 and 2 forwards at 51 & 62. They need to add 3 guys on the back end. IMO, you're significantly more likely to get an OHL-ready forward than you are an OHL-ready D-man at 51 & 62.

So if they pick 1 D and 2 F's, they're up to 14F 5D 2G. I don't think they bring Dickerson back, so parting ways with him puts them at 13F and adds an OA spot. Assuming they're able to sign Fegaras, that's 13F & 6D and they have both an import and an OA spot available.

 

[Rangers True Blue]

Brock Otten has posted his Mock OHL draft. For what it's worth he has Luca Pinelli falling to us. Whoever we get, I hope we take a forward in the first (in junior) , especially not having another pick until late in the third round. I've never been in fan taking a dman in the first unless his talent level is off the charts.

OHL Prospects: 2021 OHL Priority Selection Mock Draft

Some info here........wouldn't be surprised to see him in a Rangers jersy
Luca Pinelli

 

[rangersblues]

Link to view the draft

 

[Rangers True Blue]

Excited for the draft tonight......and looking forward to returning to the Aud this fall to watch Rangers hockey!

Is Luca Pinelli coming to Kitchener?...

 

[Rangers True Blue]

Carson is tendered with Muskegon; however, I am confident he will end up in the OHL as he is a prospect with NHL Draft upside. Before making this selection, I would have spoken to the player and agent and saw if we could come to a deal for his 16-year-old year or join us as a 17-year-old after one year in the USHL. If this deal were a no-go, I would have selected Luke McNamara or Carey Terrance at this spot, depending on which one of the two interviewed best. Carson is long, lean, athletic, projectable, and possesses the skill sets to be a top two-line impact in the Canadian Hockey league. He plays with pace, moves his feet very well for a big man, and penetrates the scoring areas of the ice very nicely. Carson has the size to drive the net and is a willing combatant in the battle strike areas of the ice. His best asset is his ability to take the puck to the net, and he likes to take it wide and deep on defenders. He competes well, can play heavy minutes, projectable body, pro-style frame, and possesses intangibles - checks off all the boxes.

 

[MatthewsMoustache]

So it looks like this will be a Vukojevic-style pick where we see him come later on? I’m okay with that. The Rangers have a lot of forwards as is, so it might make more sense for Rehkopf to come later on anyways. Heard a lot of good things about this player. Sounds like he would’ve gone top 5 or 10 had he not had the USHL tender.

 

[EvenSteven]

Ottawa selected Pinelli the younger in the second round.