Kitchener Rangers 2017-18 Season Thread (Part 1)

[Rangers True Blue]

McGonigle not taking part in camp since he's recovering from hip surgery. No mention of when he will be ready. Looks like Richardson's chance to step up. And agreed, MM and crew are getting right down to it by the looks of the players at camp. Looking forward to seeing Petzian with the returnees.

 

[OhSheila]

I am in the same camp with posters who like this smaller size roster. MM is being honest and while having a taste of training camp is nice, it doesn't serve either side well. It best to let developing players be with the team they'll be with through that training camp process.

There are still some tough choices and decisions to be made. As others have pointed out of the 7 signed D, 6 shoot left. Of the D invites Argento, Donovan and Masterson all shoot left. Spencer shoots right.

5 signed forwards shoot right - Damiani, Carter, Henderson, Meireles and Yantsis. 11 shoot left - Mascherin, McHugh, Bunnaman, Garreffa, Guest, Seitz, Peyton, Petizian, Gordon, Liska, Hugg

Draft pick forwards shooting left - Carter Treesor, Kobe Desmond, Ryan O'Hara
Shooting right - Graham Dickerson, Braydon Patricia
Free Agents - Left - Holden Doggett, Tyler Flack, Alex Trenton

We need some right handed shots.

Training camp will be competitive and the Buffalo Tournament will give the coaches a good idea of who should make the team.

With the nice stock of draft picks and some tradeable players, this team is going to change even more and all for the better.

 

[Medway Bear]

Is anyone heading down to Buffalo?

 

[OhSheila]

Would love to see Taylor Raddysh 1998, right shot, 42 goals, 67 assists 109 points last season in Rangers blue.

Erie needs draft picks. Their first draft pick after the first round in 2018 is in the 5th round. From 2019 to 2023 they don't have a 2nd or 3rd round pick. Mike McKenzie has added nicely to the draft pick supply and if Jacob Tortora doesn't play for the Rangers there are 2nd round picks in 2020, 21 and 22 to add to it.

MM has some players and picks to offer to go after a good addition like Raddysh or someone else.

Nice position to be in.

 

[Melrose]

At least we have an upgrade (hopefully) in forwards coaching this year and might see some good development taking place. I see a very thin defence corps and same coach with very little chance of seeing much development. While it's great to have lots of assets for trading we most definitely need to get some of our current assets developed.

 

[Coaches Coroner]

At least we have an upgrade (hopefully) in forwards coaching this year and might see some good development taking place. I see a very thin defence corps and same coach with very little chance of seeing much development. While it's great to have lots of assets for trading we most definitely need to get some of our current assets developed.

I wouldn't call that D corps thin. We could use a depth guy for call ups and need to add a quality bottom pairing guy who could fill in on the second pairing if injuries arise. We could get in trouble if we have a lot of injuries, but if the D stay pretty healthy, that's a really solid top 4 at least.

 

[Mach85]

The D-corps was so stretched thin by injuries last season that I'm willing to see what happens this year before making strong statements. The pieces are there now, so we'll see.

 

[Rangers True Blue]

With our top D out with injuries last season, our rookies were pummeled...no doubt...but also played more minutes than they would have and I'm sure learned a ton of lessons.

Agreed that the top 4 D should be pretty solid. The Stanley and Hall show should make opposing forwards pay when they enter the zone. And Vallati says he's taking a no prisoners attitude. Should be a fun season!! Especially if the D frees up more time for Rangers offense to do their thing.

 

[Rangers True Blue]

OHL site says that the games in Buffalo will be streamed. Has anyone seen a link yet? I must have missed it.

 

[SYWTom]

Training camp is here!

Anyone planning on attending tonight's practices for a first look?
I'll be going to both scrimmages tomorrow and will definitely post my thoughts for everyone

Glad another season is finally beginning!

 

[BenchedGuy]

Training camp is here!

Anyone planning on attending tonight's practices for a first look?
I'll be going to both scrimmages tomorrow and will definitely post my thoughts for everyone

Glad another season is finally beginning!

I will be checking it out for a bit tonight and tomorrow night. All action is at the Aud this year for those going.

 

[Ward Cornell]

Will be at the 10am scrimmages Tuesday and Wednesday!

 

[Rangers True Blue]

Looking forward to the last scrimmage on Weds am!! And hearing who's impressing at the other two. GO RANGERS!

 

[Ward Cornell]

It looks like Jack York (D) (right shot) has abandoned his NCAA aspirations with the University of Maine and is now in camp! (5th round pick 2016).

see bottom of article...
https://www.therecord.com/sports-story/7525272-hockey-vagabond-hopes-to-find-home-with-rangers/

 

[Melrose]

With the addition of these 2 D I like the looks of the defence corps a lot more. York sounds like he's got solid potential and the lad from the east has size, and sounds like a stay at home keep front of net clear D. Camp should be interesting.

 

[RangerRed]

It looks like Jack York (D) (right shot) has abandoned his NCAA aspirations with the University of Maine and is now in camp! (5th round pick 2016).

see bottom of article...
https://www.therecord.com/sports-story/7525272-hockey-vagabond-hopes-to-find-home-with-rangers/

Interesting to think about the two defenders mentioned in that article. Argento is big and physical but it's hard to think about what we get from him that we don't get from Alex Peterson who's already in camp and younger.

At the same time, York is on the smaller side but he would give us another right handed shot and someone with a little more puck skill.

Interesting to see where the coaching staff goes there.

 

[K2]

Looks like Mascherin got clearance to practice, he was on the ice for both sessions tonight ... wearing blue #8.

 

[EvenSteven]

It looks like Jack York (D) (right shot) has abandoned his NCAA aspirations with the University of Maine and is now in camp! (5th round pick 2016).

see bottom of article...
https://www.therecord.com/sports-story/7525272-hockey-vagabond-hopes-to-find-home-with-rangers/

Nice article. But to be honest, it seems every year we get write ups on training camp hopefuls. Most of which are cut before the ink is dry on the newsprint. Usually we wind up using at least one free agent per year. He sounds like a big physical defencemen and I like those kind of players. Here's hoping he can crack the lineup. But it will be tough.

 

[Rangers True Blue]

My brother was at the aud yesterday and says that Mascherin's shot is indeed wicked. Opposing goalies may need to wear body armour. : )

And he had to really look to find Logan Stanley. NOT! I can't attend scrimmages today so I'm looking forward to hearing what those who go have to say.

 

[SYWTom]

My brother was at the aud yesterday and says that Mascherin's shot is indeed wicked. Opposing goalies may need to wear body armour. : )

And he had to really look to find Logan Stanley. NOT! I can't attend scrimmages today so I'm looking forward to hearing what those who go have to say.

Will be interesting to see if he participates in the contact scrimmage this morning, I will post about that if he does.

If anyone has any specific requests for information I will be at both scrimmages today! Feel free to post them before hand or after and I'll do my best to comment on them

Cheers!
Hockey's back!

 

[Ward Cornell]

Further down the road for me what I'm really interested in is seeing the advances in the second yr of the coaching staff. I believe with health we have the talent in the players to be in the upper 5 teams in the OHL but can and will the coaching staff get it out of them?...........................
Also we will need to have the specialty teams to be ranked in the top 5 on the PK and the PP.

But in the meantime, I enjoy seeing the new players in camp and see if any of them forces MM to make some trades either now or during the season to make room for them.

 

[BenchedGuy]

Was at practice last night, my 2 cents on very limited viewing.

Hugg is a player. Heavy shot, right place right time, can stick handle and was accurate. Looks like definite top 6 if not top 3.

Liska has a nose for the net. Good shot. At times it looked too effortless, I don't know if he is one of those guys that takes it easy in practice but he did show skills.

Masherin was hilarious. After every time he beat a goalie he cheered loudly for himself, it was almost infectious. He was hitting twine and crossbars in both practices hard.

Hall was practicing with an edge. On the 1 on 1 drills he closed space, was physical (did not hit anyone) and gave everyone (even last year teammates) a shove or stiff arm at the end of each drill. It was good to see.

Stanley looked good, as expected. I am guessing but it looked like he was also giving pointers to the young non roster players after a drill.

Argento looked like he could be a player. Big, has some speed and closed the gaps pretty good. It was one practice but if he is consistent, he could crack the roster. He looked better than Gentles and Petersen.

 

[SYWTom]

Mascherin is not participating in the scrimmages today according to the team rosters handed out this morning.

 

[SYWTom]

My first period thoughts:

Not a good first period for our goalies, lots of soft goals.
Score is 4-3 after 1

Garreffa showed his slick moves as well that period. Liska has some good size as well, which is nice.

Ladd looks timid, hoping he brings more intensity, but as a whole I think the defence needs more physicality then has been shown so far.

 

[SYWTom]

Goalies played much better in the game tonight. Richardson made one stellar save in particular, much better performance for him in Game 2.

Defence tightened up in this game, not as many lazy pinches. Vallatti was more engaged in this one, but Hall, Blaisdell and Stanley were all strong too. Peterson played well today I thought, kept it simple and displayed an improved shot.

Gentles and York are pretty even for me, but York being a right shot is fairly tempting, especially since Ladd was uninspiring thus far.

Forwards
Guest seems to have grown a few inches and may take a step forward this season. Petizian is a little ball of energy. He's been the best rookie in my opinion.
Carter and Bunnaman each had nice goals tonight, Carters being a deflection in front that was particularly well placed.

Hugg and Liska showed flashes, just might need to settle in a bit more.

Hope to hear other posters thoughts