Kitchener Rangers 2023-24 Off-Season Thread (Part 2)

[rangersblues]

Hlacar-Cameron-Labrash. Potentially massive line.
Seems like all roster spots are accounted for before camp

Correct me if I'm wrong but these guys aren't signing roster cards yet and can be reassigned if necessary.

 

[Krangers08]

Correct me if I'm wrong but these guys aren't signing roster cards yet and can be reassigned if necessary.

You are correct. Labrash seems like the most likely to start in JR B when comparing the recent signings, full time post deadline.
Elmira would be my guess. Leamington and Fort Erie have also developed well for prospects.

 

[EvenSteven]

16 signed forwards.
Only 7 signed D. (Most very young).
Three OA forwards.
Two OA goalies.

We have to get down to 14 forwards max. 13 if Pobezal shows up.

I see Mercer on the bubble. Maybe the only way he stays is if a couple of the signed rookie forwards wind up on B cards.

I see two of the three OA forwards weeded out much sooner than later and an OA D brought in.

The OA goalie situation needs to be sorted out by early summer.

 

[Krangers08]

“I’ve learned in the last year or so that you definitely need some physical players and some worker bees under those guys that are going to play consistently and elevate your team’s compete level”.
“I think definitely filling up our draft picks is a priority to make sure we can continuously have players coming in that are high quality. Outside of that, you can never have too many good, young players”
Very good read

Q&A with Kitchener Rangers GM Mike McKenzie

This past season’s highlights, why he didn’t trade Mitchell Martin, getting physical, what needs to change in the OHL and why London has their number.

www.therecord.com

 

[EvenSteven]

Very good read.

I’ll have to take your word for it. Not a subscriber.

 

[rangersblues]

“I’ve learned in the last year or so that you definitely need some physical players and some worker bees under those guys that are going to play consistently and elevate your team’s compete level”.
“I think definitely filling up our draft picks is a priority to make sure we can continuously have players coming in that are high quality. Outside of that, you can never have too many good, young players”
Very good read

Q&A with Kitchener Rangers GM Mike McKenzie

This past season’s highlights, why he didn’t trade Mitchell Martin, getting physical, what needs to change in the OHL and why London has their number.

www.therecord.com

Found this a little concerning. Hopefully he's just spinning.

Q. You can return 20 players — 12 forwards, six defencemen and two goalies — that saw OHL action last year. Is this team in contender mode?

A. It’s hard to say. Junior hockey is so hard to predict. We all saw that last year in thinking it would be a rebuild year. We have returning guys that have experience and we’ve got some good young guys. How good can they be? How do they come back after this summer? How do the 16-year-olds play? How much better can the 17-year-olds get? Things like that remain to be seen. I like the group and our new signings and, overall, I think we should have a pretty competitive team.

 

[Gondrex]

“I’ve learned in the last year or so that you definitely need some physical players and some worker bees under those guys that are going to play consistently and elevate your team’s compete level”.
“I think definitely filling up our draft picks is a priority to make sure we can continuously have players coming in that are high quality. Outside of that, you can never have too many good, young players”
Very good read

Q&A with Kitchener Rangers GM Mike McKenzie

This past season’s highlights, why he didn’t trade Mitchell Martin, getting physical, what needs to change in the OHL and why London has their number.

www.therecord.com

He's only learned in the last year or so that you need some physical players [for the playoffs] ? As a quote from a GM in their particular division I find that a bit surprising. Was it not obvious what London was doing at the trade deadline ? Knights management knew that Saginaw, as host, would have the advantage of doing whatever it takes - risk-free - and load up. So what did London do ? Along with the talent they already had, they grab a very good goaltender and add another physical body in Lawrence. I'm not nearly at the level of thinking of a GM in this league (those who actually get paid to do it), but I was puzzled why MM wouldn't have made the necessary moves to build this team for the playoffs if his choice was to go for it. I recall a few other posters making similar observations like this at the trade deadline. EvenSteven was one of them.

The one good thing in all this is that he had left this past draft selections alone, and instead compromised by grabbing a couple '05's who could potentially fit into this coming season's plans. I suppose this probably satisfied the optics to the fans that a first place team should never consider "not going for it".

Sorry for beating the dead horse again, but just found that part of the quote a bit puzzling.

 

[nelli27]

 

[EvenSteven]

He’s only learned in the last year or so that you need physical players to compete in the playoffs???

Then what was HE doing in 2018 adding skill, combined with size and toughness? He built a classic playoff team when he added guys like Stanley, Brown, Sherwood, Smith and McEneny.

It was that type of team that took the Soo to game 7 OT in the third round. And it was that type of team that knocked that Soo team around in the second round (OS).

Found this a little concerning. Hopefully he's just spinning.

Q. You can return 20 players — 12 forwards, six defencemen and two goalies — that saw OHL action last year. Is this team in contender mode?

A. It’s hard to say. Junior hockey is so hard to predict. We all saw that last year in thinking it would be a rebuild year. We have returning guys that have experience and we’ve got some good young guys. How good can they be? How do they come back after this summer? How do the 16-year-olds play? How much better can the 17-year-olds get? Things like that remain to be seen. I like the group and our new signings and, overall, I think we should have a pretty competitive team.

He’s just saying what he has to say to help appease the casual fan and sell tickets. Can’t say in May that we’re going to suck next year.

 

[EvenSteven]

Question: Bilecki said in the piece that he couldn’t get #59 so he settled for #89.

Did we retire Martin’s number?

 

[Krangers08]

Technically the season is still ongoing. Maybe they can’t give it to him until Martin officially ages out.

 

[Ward Cornell]

I’ll have to take your word for it. Not a subscriber.

Likewise....plus Brown blocked me when he asked ppl to subscribe to the Record and I told him we did 3x but stopped each time due to lousy delivery service.....poof blocked.

 

[EvenSteven]

Likewise....plus Brown blocked me when he asked ppl to subscribe to the Record and I told him we did 3x but stopped each time due to lousy delivery service.....poof blocked.

The only use I’d have for a subscription is the Ranger coverage. The rest of the Record is unreadable.

Can’t justify that for two or three articles a week. Especially since most of the time this is the place to go for breaking news.

 

[bobber]

Likewise....plus Brown blocked me when he asked ppl to subscribe to the Record and I told him we did 3x but stopped each time due to lousy delivery service.....poof blocked.

Are you sure? Do you have "poof" of that?

 

[GeoBlue]

It’s hard to say. Junior hockey is so hard to predict.

Hmm? Let me give it a shot, oh crystal ball, oh yes, the London Knights will be contending next year.

 

[GeoBlue]

“I’ve learned in the last year or so that you definitely need some physical players and some worker bees under those guys that are going to play consistently and elevate your team’s compete level”.
“I think definitely filling up our draft picks is a priority to make sure we can continuously have players coming in that are high quality. Outside of that, you can never have too many good, young players”
Very good read

Q&A with Kitchener Rangers GM Mike McKenzie

This past season’s highlights, why he didn’t trade Mitchell Martin, getting physical, what needs to change in the OHL and why London has their number.

www.therecord.com

Yes, I will take your word for it as well.

 

[EvenSteven]

Technically the season is still ongoing. Maybe they can’t give it to him until Martin officially ages out.

If that’s the case, then that’s lame.

 

[rangersblues]

Hmm? Let me give it a shot, oh crystal ball, oh yes, the London Knights will be contending next year.

If Cowan is back they could be better than this season.

 

[Ward Cornell]

Are you sure? Do you have "poof" of that?

Da poof is da poof and what more poof do you need when you got da poof??

 

[robertmac43]

Man London fans are spoiled.

 

[GeoBlue]

Man London fans are spoiled.

Yeah, I wouldn't mind being spoiled that way.

 

[rangersblues]

Man London fans are spoiled.

There was a time I felt like that about the Rangers. Last time was after 2010 when we lost to Windsor in the conference final. Thought it was going to be a quick rebuild. Still waiting. Hopefully this time clicks.

 

[robertmac43]

There was a time I felt like that about the Rangers. Last time was after 2010 when we lost to Windsor in the conference final. Thought it was going to be a quick rebuild. Still waiting. Hopefully this time clicks.

Oh would it ever be nice to go back to that era. Hopefully we get a glimpse of it again in the not too distant future.

 

[EvenSteven]

There was a time I felt like that about the Rangers. Last time was after 2010 when we lost to Windsor in the conference final. Thought it was going to be a quick rebuild. Still waiting. Hopefully this time clicks.

2010 wasn’t even our year. We overachieved that year with a young team. Then the following year, what should have been a top contending year, our season was scuttled when Skinner made the show as an 18 year old and Jeremy Morin played AHL as a 19 year old.

 

[bobber]

Man London fans are spoiled.

They are spoiled but the only good thing about London is the road to Kitchener.