Kitchener Rangers 2021-22 Season Thread
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K2
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Unfortunate to 'lose' Andreas Karlsson to a lateral opportunity but I wish he and Jay every success in the Hammer.
Really feel like you guys have one of if not the most talented young GMs in the game. Now he does have to “Win” the big one of course but I really think he drafts very well and also has a vision 2-3 years down the road rather then just his immediate roster. Time will tell of course not being a Rangers fan I don’t follow every detail but has he named a coach yet for the fall? Just curious as this is another big part of being a successful GM, choosing a competent coaching staff. Cheers guys going to be an interesting season with all the unknowns?
He’s said he will be coaching again for 21-22 and will reevaluate next offseason. From what we’ve seen, it seems to work. I think as long as he can get another good assistant coach like Karlsson who can run the offence and PP, they’ll be fine.
Rangers True Blue
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And as seen with MM, I'm sure someone for Rangers new Asst Coach is already in the wings. I'm looking forward to finding out who it is!
Anyone else find this odd? I thought he was sticking around to fill the Head Coach position with the Kitchener Rangers. Then after MM announced that he will continue to coach, Karlsson left. Not only left, but he joined Hamilton where he will work under newbie coach, McKee, AGAIN! Is he hinting that he likes his odds displacing McKee eventually over taking over for MM? Or are McKee and Karlsson just that tight? Or does he know that MM has someone particular in the wings?
We’ll never know for sure, but it looks a lot like he knew that he wasn’t going to get the head coaching job in Kitchener anytime soon. This is the 2nd offseason in a row that the Rangers have gone into with an interim head coach and MM hasn’t given him the job.
K2
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Karlsson is free to take the best offer that he had available and after losing AK it quite possibly became about saving $ for us by replacing a top Assistant's salary like Karlsson's with entry-level $ for Menard. As a non-profit we can only ride high on our cash flow, which went to zero in March 2020, and our 'business continuance' reserves must be getting low enough to push us to run leaner until there's a season with 7000 butts in seats + (hopefully) some playoff revenues to return us back to business as usual. No slight against Menard whatsoever; he's surely the 'best available' at the price and did play CIS hockey, coached midget, was a skills coach for a season in the AJHL & assisted in 34 games at Lakehead before lockdown.
Both Karlsson & McKee will be coaching pros somewhere before too long. Andreas Karlsson lives in Hamilton & is friends (& a Thrasher teammate) of GM Steve Staios. No question Karlsson has unique, impeccable credentials and could assist most anywhere but he's probably as tight with Staios as McKee and Andlauer would readily underwrite whatever it took to land McKee & Karlsson.
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Ward Cornell
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EvenSteven
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Goaltending is the biggest unknown to be honest. Cajan is supposed to be good. We’ll see. Not sure if Parsons has signed or not. Can’t remember.
These two are expected to share the duties and we’re pretty much left with scouting reports to go by.
Actually, unless I missed it, I don’t believe we’ve signed anyone from our latest draft class. I’d like to see that happen sooner than later especially since most other teams have already announced multiple signings from the draft.
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Rangers True Blue
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By all accounts, Cajan should be a solid goalie but we will see how he adapts to the OHL. And Parsons shows lots of promise and indeed signed with Rangers back in 2020:
Jackson Parsons signs OHL standard player agreement – Kitchener Rangers
It’s a complete toss up. Could quite literally be the best tandem in the league, but we have no idea yet. Pavel Cajan is a promising young Czech goalie but didn’t get an opportunity to play this season in his NHL draft year. Jackson Parsons was one of the highest goalies selected in the 2020 draft but is going into his NHL draft year having not played in over a year either.
So as fans, we’re yet to see either of these goalies play an OHL game yet. That could go one of two ways I guess.
Rangers True Blue
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Hot tip leads to Kitchener Rangers’ latest coaching hire By Josh BrownRecord Reporter
KITCHENER — It was a tip that led the Kitchener Rangers to new assistant coach Brennan Menard.
“He wasn’t a guy that directly applied (for a job),” said Blueshirts general manager and head coach Mike McKenzie. “His name popped up as someone that we should really take a look at from a well-respected person in the hockey world.”
Intrigued, McKenzie reached out to the Thunder Bay native to find out more. And, after a series of conversations, he found a like-minded soul.
“He’s a tireless worker,” said McKenzie. “He’s all-in on the game of hockey. Outside of his family, it’s his passion. He’s always thinking about it and looking at different things.”
In short, he was the perfect fit for the vacancy left by Andreas Karlsson, who quit last month to join ex-Rangers skipper — and new Hamilton Bulldogs coach — Jay McKee in Steeltown.
The news that Menard will flank McKenzie, along with current assistant Dennis Wideman and development coach Brandon Merli, was announced Thursday.
“It’s exciting for me personally and it’s an exciting step in my coaching journey to go to such an unbelievable league,” said the 33-year-old Menard. “The fact that it’s Kitchener of all places is most special. It’s common knowledge that it’s one of the greatest junior organizations ever.”
Menard grew up in a hockey family and was a forward who came up with Lakehead University before a brief playing stint in Germany. After moving into coaching, he returned to Lakehead where he has been an assistant coach with the men’s hockey team for the past two years. He has also coached in the Alberta Junior Hockey League.
“Hockey is kind of all I’ve ever known since I was a little kid,” he said. “It’s a part of me. It’s all I think about and talk about. I obsess on trying to find new information on the game or how to make players better.”
McKenzie was prepared to take it slow in his search for a boost on the bench but was impressed with Menard’s ability to think outside the box.
“We wanted someone that really has an expertise on individual skill and player development and is progressive and innovative and can really help our team,” he said. “It’s a very unique and exciting fit.”
Like McKenzie, he too needed to feel the mojo before moving his wife and two young sons south to Waterloo Region.
“People might think that if it’s Kitchener you just go, but I’m really big on people,” Menard said. “The more I got to know Mike the more I felt that there is a philosophy alignment. The way he made me feel throughout the process reflected a lot on the organization’s values and how they treat people.”
KITCHENER — It was a tip that led the Kitchener Rangers to new assistant coach Brennan Menard.
“He wasn’t a guy that directly applied (for a job),” said Blueshirts general manager and head coach Mike McKenzie. “His name popped up as someone that we should really take a look at from a well-respected person in the hockey world.”
Intrigued, McKenzie reached out to the Thunder Bay native to find out more. And, after a series of conversations, he found a like-minded soul.
“He’s a tireless worker,” said McKenzie. “He’s all-in on the game of hockey. Outside of his family, it’s his passion. He’s always thinking about it and looking at different things.”
In short, he was the perfect fit for the vacancy left by Andreas Karlsson, who quit last month to join ex-Rangers skipper — and new Hamilton Bulldogs coach — Jay McKee in Steeltown.
The news that Menard will flank McKenzie, along with current assistant Dennis Wideman and development coach Brandon Merli, was announced Thursday.
“It’s exciting for me personally and it’s an exciting step in my coaching journey to go to such an unbelievable league,” said the 33-year-old Menard. “The fact that it’s Kitchener of all places is most special. It’s common knowledge that it’s one of the greatest junior organizations ever.”
Menard grew up in a hockey family and was a forward who came up with Lakehead University before a brief playing stint in Germany. After moving into coaching, he returned to Lakehead where he has been an assistant coach with the men’s hockey team for the past two years. He has also coached in the Alberta Junior Hockey League.
“Hockey is kind of all I’ve ever known since I was a little kid,” he said. “It’s a part of me. It’s all I think about and talk about. I obsess on trying to find new information on the game or how to make players better.”
McKenzie was prepared to take it slow in his search for a boost on the bench but was impressed with Menard’s ability to think outside the box.
“We wanted someone that really has an expertise on individual skill and player development and is progressive and innovative and can really help our team,” he said. “It’s a very unique and exciting fit.”
Like McKenzie, he too needed to feel the mojo before moving his wife and two young sons south to Waterloo Region.
“People might think that if it’s Kitchener you just go, but I’m really big on people,” Menard said. “The more I got to know Mike the more I felt that there is a philosophy alignment. The way he made me feel throughout the process reflected a lot on the organization’s values and how they treat people.”
Not looking like much progress made yet with Mesar. European camps start in August so we should have an idea pretty soon if the Rangers are able to sway him.
Maybe they’ll be able to get Odelius. As of now it looks like he makes a strong case to get drafted in 2022. D core would then include Sebrango, Xhekaj, Motew, LeBlanc, Schmidt and Odelius. Solid top 6 with both Andonovski and Fegaras both still in the picture too.
EvenSteven
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Has Fegaras signed yet? Outside of the Schmidt signing, tough off season for the Rangers. Nobody signed yet from the 2021 draft. So far our 1st round import pick isn’t coming this year.
I know it’s early, but it’d be nice if we could hear some announcements sooner than later.
Just sayin’.
No Fegaras signing yet. It’s been a quiet start to the “offseason” all together. I’m not sure how or if the late draft effected the trade window but there hasn’t been any trades yet and I know some teams are up at 6 or 7 OAs with a month and a half until training camp.
I don’t know if teams are hesitant to make moves and not end up playing a game, though I don’t feel like that’ll be an issue this season.
rangersblues
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I think the biggest issue is after not playing for a year teams have no idea how their rosters will shake out. Any trades would be blind.
Rangers True Blue
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In a January 2021 article in Hockey News Hubb about Slovaki and the World Juniors, some excerpts on Mesar:
"Filip Mesar is another talented 16-year-old, but he only saw action in two games for the Slovaks. Of their young phenoms, Mesar’s tournament was the most disappointing. The expectation though, is that these three players will continue to develop and be better over the next two years of their eligibility."
"This brings me to a difficult conversation. If Slovakia wants these players, and others, to develop to their potential, they’re going to have to find them another place to play. There have been attempts to get a national team development program going, but it cannot possibly form in time for this group of players. In the short term, if the country wants to increase the overall level of play of their national junior team, they will have to continue to send promising prospects to leagues outside of Slovakia."
"Nemec and Mesar have both seen time in Slovakia’s men’s league, the Tipos Extraliga. Becar has spent some time in the U18 league in Slovakia this season but he’s slated to play in the Tipos Extraliga at some point. This is a men’s professional league, and these young players are doing well for themselves in it. The downside is, the level of competition caps out very low."
Mesar idolizes Connor McDavid and has clearly stated that his goal is to play in the NHL. I would think that he would want to play against higher caliber players and show scouts what he can do. As noted above, the level of competition is very low for him in Slovakian men's league. Concerns about COVID in Ontario? Things are heading quickly in the right direction here so if that could change. Whatever the reason, MM has his work cut out for himself.
fegaras told all team he was very ncaa focused, so im not sure you guy should count on him being signed regardless.
kudla
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What? People think it's a beer league or what, but the league is easily better than OHL. Though we can all agree that it's still unclear which option would be better for Mesar in terms of development.
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how many minutes per game was he playing last year? I’m sure Kitchener would be offering a spot next to Pinelli on the top line.
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