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Kitchener Rangers 2022 Off-season Thread

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Gondrex

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Apr 10, 2017
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flamebird said:
Hamara*** - Schmidt
BRZ - Motew
Andonovski - J. LeBlanc
Harper - Hollet

Opening Night pairings predictions:

Hamara gets reassigned by Ottawa after camp and is sent to the OHL to adjust to the NA game. Paired with Schmidt, pretty straight forward.

USNDTP defenseman gets inserted into the top-4 to start the year, paired with veteran Motew. Not sure if I like the styles of both players beside eachother... I can see many odd man rushes coming our way, but a lot of offense equally produced from this pair.

Andonovski and LeBlanc both entering their sophmore seasons. Were both very solid down the stretch. Andonovski being a LHD (only 2 on the roster I believe) combined with rugged style may be better moving into the top-4 to compliment an offensive Dman. J. LeBlanc with added confidence and a year under his belt may force a tough decision with Motew.

Harper and Hollet, prime trade candidates given the talent, age, depth of defenseman already on the depth chart. With Longacre waiting for a contract, Terrance ('22 Draft DMan), and a potential 07 defenseman draft pick a year from now, Hollet's days are numbered as I don't see him as an OA in a year. Harper being an OA outside of the top-4 defenseman is not beneficial for development.
Click to expand...

Nice assessment.

Harper appears to be in a tough spot, and as an OA, that isn't helping his situation. In my mind, the question is whether or not there would be a willing trade partner to take him and provide anything in return.

Hollet has size going for him, and is an 03. So if the Rangers were to trade him, maybe there's a taker.

As a side note, Ottawa apparently has a surplus of D-men, so that's another team likely looking to move at least one.
 

Storm and Rangers

Registered User
Aug 28, 2022
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Thoughts?

*=OA

Harper defintely a trade candidate if Longacre commits. 3rd OA spot could be used better than for a 7/8 D-Man.

LWCRWLDRDG
Rehkopf (2005)Pinelli (2003)Mesar (2004)Hamara (2004)Schmidt (2003)Parsons (2004)
Martin (2004)Serpa (2002)*Valade (2002)*Longacre (2006)Brzustewicz (2004)Vandenberg (2004)
Sop (2003)Fishman (2003)Zidlicky (2005)LeBlanc (2004)Motew (2003)
Bottineau (2006)LeBlanc (2004)Pugliese (2004)Andonovski (2005)Harper (2002)*
Misaljevic (2004)Mercer (2005)Swick (2004)Hollett (2003)
 
Coaches Coroner

Coaches Coroner

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Mar 12, 2009
7,395
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Fishman is a wild card. Zidlicky has to produce more in that position. I see Pugliese or Swick as more likely candidates to fill a 1 of those 3rd line spots due to style of play. Sop I want to see either major improvements to strength or speed. Either needs to get stronger so he can hold onto the puck in traffic, or get his foot speed to catch up to his hands. Really good puck skill but doesn't make the most of it due to average-ish skating and below average strength on the puck. Without improvement he's a trade candidate for me.

I like the depth in terms of how much competition there will be for 3rd and 4th line spots this year out of camp.
 
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EvenSteven

EvenSteven

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Sep 3, 2009
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Gondrex said:
Nice assessment.

Harper appears to be in a tough spot, and as an OA, that isn't helping his situation. In my mind, the question is whether or not there would be a willing trade partner to take him and provide anything in return.

Hollet has size going for him, and is an 03. So if the Rangers were to trade him, maybe there's a taker.

As a side note, Ottawa apparently has a surplus of D-men, so that's another team likely looking to move at least one.
Click to expand...
Harper only cost us a 9th rounder last trade deadline. We’d be lucky to get that for him despite his strong play in the postseason last spring. As you said, the fact he’s an OA hurts his trade value and his spot on this team. However, I’m not against having him start the season here. Can he be this year’s version of Justin Nolet?

I see Hollett being in the same boat Harper was last year. Because he won’t have much trade value, he could be that depth defenceman we keep around in the event we run into injury problems. He could come in and provide minutes as a 6th D on a team who is trying to contend but does not have an endless wealth of picks to trade.

If we find that, through their play, Motew and Leblanc can eliminate our need for an upgrade on defence via a 3rd overage, our top five could be:

Schmidt. Brzustewicz
Hamara. Motew.
LeBlanc.

Then to round out the 8:

Andonovski
Hollett
Longacre (if he reports)

I’m not putting Brzustewicz and Motew together. Similar type D. One of them would have to go with Schmidt and I figure that’ll be Hunter B.
 
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