Kitchener Rangers 2020 Offseason Thread

[MatthewsMoustache]

the OHL has been known to make the "all-rookie/star" teams based very strictly on your actual position, not just the best 3 forwards. if I had to guess, Pinelli being listed as a centre is what made him fall off the list (being behind Wright and McTavish).

is "played LW for us" a coincidence or a fun little poke at the league from MM? you be the judge (but let's just say he didn't list McDonnell's position!)

 

[SYWTom]

the OHL has been known to make the "all-rookie/star" teams based very strictly on your actual position, not just the best 3 forwards. if I had to guess, Pinelli being listed as a centre is what made him fall off the list (being behind Wright and McTavish).

is "played LW for us" a coincidence or a fun little poke at the league from MM? you be the judge (but let's just say he didn't list McDonnell's position!)

totally a shot at the omission, and I’m totally here for it. McKenzie putting his emotion out there and standing up for our team/players is exactly what I wanna see.
Bring the fire Mike!

 

[MatthewsMoustache]

totally a shot at the omission, and I’m totally here for it. McKenzie putting his emotion out there and standing up for our team/players is exactly what I wanna see.
Bring the fire Mike!

that's my GM!

 

[OhSheila]

If the OHL places more value on the position played than the impact they made, they're wrong. Rookies often play various positions as they find their place on the team.

Francesco and Declan made great contributions and produced great results, better than a lot who were named to All Star teams. I seriously don't know how the OHL could look at the results of the vote, see that Declan and Francesco who performed better than some who made the all star teams, didn't make the teams and be good with it.

Too bad the emphasis is on position played than results achieved. They should really correct that.

We know we've got 2 of the best rookies in the league.

 

[Rangers True Blue]

If the OHL places more value on the position played than the impact they made, they're wrong. Rookies often play various positions as they find their place on the team.

Francesco and Declan made great contributions and produced great results, better than a lot who were named to All Star teams. I seriously don't know how the OHL could look at the results of the vote, see that Declan and Francesco who performed better than some who made the all star teams, didn't make the teams and be good with it.

Too bad the emphasis is on position played than results achieved. They should really correct that.

We know we've got 2 of the best rookies in the league.

And these two certainly played more than one position. Count em....TWO in the top 5!! Good on MM for recognizing them even if the OHL did not. WE know what they did and I for one can't wait to see more of them in the future!

 

[ZTKL]

I don't think I've seen it on here,, congrats to Ingham for making the Second OHL All-Star team. Being a bit of a homer, I kind of wanted to see him get on the First because this season would have been lost early if it wasn't for him. ButDaws did have quite the breakout year and you could probably have said the same for Guelph.

That being said, in retrospect, if there was any season to have an absolute abysmal and lost season, this would have been the one... but he definitely helped make the games exciting when we had them.

 

[MatthewsMoustache]

OHL trade window opens up June 1st for the month. I can’t imagine there will be anything really with all the uncertainty of next season. maybe teams moving out an OA for some conditionals.

 

[Generalsupdates]

The Rangers are top 4 in terms of Americans who have come over the past decade (2009-2019 drafts) but in terms of success rate they end up 9th, mostly because they start to take a lot of swings in the 6th/8th rounds

 

[MatthewsMoustache]

OHL trade window opened with 2 North Bay trades today. the one that is intriguing to me is Matvey Guskov. I think it may set the tone for any trades that happen between now and the season starting. the Knights get a guaranteed 15th round pick, but they get 2 3rds if he plays 1 game for North Bay (sounds like he wants to go, but obviously no one knows about the season right now).

perhaps Kitchener flips Vukojevic for a 15th and loads up the conditionals of him actually playing.

 

[HockeyPops]

Why wouldn't Vuko play?

I think this is more a result of North Bay's inability to attract imports. Last season Martin Has only agreed to come if they traded him, and Korpialho didn't come. The Schlueting deal didn't attach conditionals so I have no reason to think a potential Vuko deal would.

 

[robertmac43]

I don't know if people have been following this or not, but the GOAT Ranger went to Richards.

 

[MatthewsMoustache]

Why wouldn't Vuko play?

I think this is more a result of North Bay's inability to attract imports. Last season Martin Has only agreed to come if they traded him, and Korpialho didn't come. The Schlueting deal didn't attach conditionals so I have no reason to think a potential Vuko deal would.

I believe Vukojevic will be up for trade this year. Kitchener gave away a boat load of picks in getting Ingham, Hawel, Noel and Wale.

I mention the conditionals because the stakes are much higher trading Vukojevic than they are Schlueting (no offence). Vukojevic is a proven player and he’s acquired for one year for a playoff run. the Spirit are buying low on a guy that they will be getting for probably 3 seasons

 

[GeoBlue]

I don't know if people have been following this or not, but the GOAT Ranger went to Richards.

Silly opinion games. I like Richards but he neither a McInnis (My vote), Stevens OR Coffey. I don't even feel that he gives John Gibson a run for the money. Sorry. But a tough call with all the quality players we have had over the years.

 

[East Avenue Bully]

Sounds like someone (or their camp) tried to game some stats and got caught out:

 

[rangersblues]

Silly opinion games. I like Richards but he neither a McInnis (My vote), Stevens OR Coffey. I don't even feel that he gives John Gibson a run for the money. Sorry. But a tough call with all the quality players we have had over the years.

I'm a big Gibson fan but I don't think he's an all-time Ranger. I absolutely don't see what the fascination is about Coffey's 52 games in Kitchener. Brian Bellows, the guy Kitchener got 1st overall after Coffey's only season and captained the first championship teams never gets his due imo. McInnis and Stevens are definitely contenders. But I'm definitely okay with Richards.

 

[GeoBlue]

I'm a big Gibson fan but I don't think he's an all-time Ranger. I absolutely don't see what the fascination is about Coffey's 52 games in Kitchener. Brian Bellows, the guy Kitchener got 1st overall after Coffey's only season and captained the first championship teams never gets his due imo. McInnis and Stevens are definitely contenders. But I'm definitely okay with Richards.

Bellows comes in a close 2nd on my list. Anyone that calls the other team "a bunch of pansies" in the middle of a league final series gets extra points. ;-)

I mention the Stevens and Coffey's because they have banners hanging in the Aud rafters. You can add Robinson in there as well. Should they have banners hanging though they never even played a 2nd year? We have had this conversation on these boards before.......

 

[robertmac43]

I mention the Stevens and Coffey's because they have banners hanging in the Aud rafters. You can add Robinson in there as well. Should they have banners hanging though they never even played a 2nd year? We have had this conversation on these boards before.......

Aren't those banners connected to their career success and not the success they had in Kitch? Linked to being in the Hall of Fame.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[Ward Cornell]

Honestly the greatest players ever who wore the Rangers jersey in no order were Paul Reinhart, Brian Bellows and Al McInnis...followed by Walt Tkachuk, Richards and John Tucker.

 

[EvenSteven]

Honestly the greatest players ever who wore the Rangers jersey in no order were Paul Reinhart, Brian Bellows and Al McInnis...followed by Walt Tkachuk, Richards and John Tucker.

Unfortunately, only Richards among that group since 1984.

And I’d add Dwight Foster to your list. Either in your first group of three or your second.

 

[rangersblues]

Honestly the greatest players ever who wore the Rangers jersey in no order were Paul Reinhart, Brian Bellows and Al McInnis...followed by Walt Tkachuk, Richards and John Tucker.

100% Ward. If Skinner has another season in Kitchener or if he pulls off the upset against Windsor he's also on the list.

 

[GeoBlue]

100% Ward. If Skinner has another season in Kitchener or if he pulls off the upset against Windsor he's also on the list.

And this is the dilemma with regard to my earlier post. If we going by the greatest Ranger while in a Ranger uniform then Ward is on the right track. And what do use to assess "greatest"? Ward mentions John Tucker who is a personal favourite but I would even consider Wayne Presley his linemate, who was never shy to drop the gloves either. And does length of time as a Ranger count? I think most of us consider Skinner a Ranger but what about ones like Robinson, Coffey or Stevens who barely stuck around? Or a personal one of mine, Red Lawrence, who was on an insane tear until he broke his leg that one year?

 

[Ward Cornell]

Aren't those banners connected to their career success and not the success they had in Kitch? Linked to being in the Hall of Fame.

Correct me if I'm wrong.

Unfortunately you're 100% correct, IMHO it should be for their Ranger career.
Then maybe another banner for their HHOF membership.

Let's also lose the fan banner....quite cheesey IMHO.

 

[Rangers True Blue]

Josh Brown tweets: QMJHL targets Oct. 1 for a return. A full 68-game schedule.

Via Mooseheads:

Today the QMJHL announced its targeted start date for a full 68-game regular season is October 1st, 2020. Although this is a positive announcement for all of us that are looking forward to getting back in the Scotiabank Centre, we fully understand that there are still a number of factors to be determined and approved by our Provincial Government and public health authorities before we can begin selling ticket packages. We are currently working closely with the QMJHL on a Return to Play protocol for the 2020-21 season in order to ensure a safe return for our players, staff and fans, that will be in compliance with public health guidelines.

Will be interesting to see if the WHL and OHL will follow. Maybe if we put a wall around Toronto...

 

[MatthewsMoustache]

Josh Brown tweets: QMJHL targets Oct. 1 for a return. A full 68-game schedule.

Via Mooseheads:

Today the QMJHL announced its targeted start date for a full 68-game regular season is October 1st, 2020. Although this is a positive announcement for all of us that are looking forward to getting back in the Scotiabank Centre, we fully understand that there are still a number of factors to be determined and approved by our Provincial Government and public health authorities before we can begin selling ticket packages. We are currently working closely with the QMJHL on a Return to Play protocol for the 2020-21 season in order to ensure a safe return for our players, staff and fans, that will be in compliance with public health guidelines.

Will be interesting to see if the WHL and OHL will follow. Maybe if we put a wall around Toronto...

QMJHL also doesn't have to deal with constant cross-border travel.

could this be an opportunity for the OHL to experiment? there was talk that the Blue Jays may need to find an American home for this season. could Erie, Saginaw and Flint briefly relocate to Ontario? it is obviously a bit tougher than the pros because there isn't as much money coming into the OHL, but there is so much talk of Chatham/Cornwall OHL teams & if there can be fans in seats, the OHL will (hopefully) never get this good of an opportunity to test these cities out again.

 

[MatthewsMoustache]

in other news, Greg Meireles no longer property of the Florida Panthers. he can still sign with their AHL team when they announce who it is, but he could also sign elsewhere now