Kitchener Rangers 2022-23 Off-Season Thread (Part 5)

[Ward Cornell]

I agree. This is a roster spot I would use on a player like FA hopeful Hlacar from the recent development camp.

Morey brought more of the same last year (vanilla is a good word) on a team that lacked in other areas.

You see what guys like Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Bennett and Radko Gudas bring to Florida. That, along with skill, is the mix you need to win.

I suspect a player like Morey and the dman they signed during the season is that they would be an easy sign for depth since they are local this past season. Not sure if they were intended for anything more. In other words a direct result of the 2022 draft of unsigned players.

 

[K2]

....seemingly has exonerated Mike McKenzie as GM of this team.

Maybe MM was pardoned for lessons learned

I like that we signed our dual 1sts and other top picks pretty much immediately after the draft for the first time in ages. We have the 25th & 85th import picks too (July 5th) where we can hopefully, at least, add some insurance that we ice strong imports this season or maybe new talent to sub for trades made that augment the cupboard?

We were probably overdue to get burned with a 1st round defecting player again eventually. I would have preferred it had been one of our 'subprime' 1st round picks from years past but so be it. Maybe if we had Nostradamus on the call to tell Hage he'd wreck his shoulder before camp in Chicago, need surgery and be out for nearly the whole season we'd have had a chance I'll take Romano & Lam (SUD's 4th++) for Hage and move forward, the conditionals will likely remain in the wind.

We could always add a top 2006 'replacement' talent down the road with short odds on any potential Ranger MemCup goalie being a 2006 OA from somewhere else in the CHL?

The Windsor sweep brought us no banner but it's also probably going to age better than the various failings of MM, etc this season, especially if our next coach proves worthy.

This is a roster spot I would use on a player like FA hopeful Hlacar

Yes, I think we gave Morey & Scott a good look last season as fill-ins and a chance to work hard this Summer to earn a roster spot at camp if they're able. They have some company 'on the bubble' and both arrivals and departures are likely to be significant overall.

 

[RangerNation]

I was really impressed with Scott. He isn't brainwashed yet. Took the man, not the puck and did his job.

 

[RangerNation]

Season Ticket Holders, check your emails. 2023 Survey is out for STH experience. Voice your complaints!

 

[Coaches Coroner]

I haven't seen anyone exonerating him, so this recent discussion is just confusing lol.

 

[GeoBlue]

Season Ticket Holders, check your emails. 2023 Survey is out for STH experience. Voice your complaints!

Already done. I think they only give you 4000 characters in the text box, though.

 

[rangersblues]

I haven't seen anyone exonerating him, so this recent discussion is just confusing lol.

To be exonerated you have to first be under scrutiny. Although MM has been questioned on this board from time to time, I don't believe for a second that he has ever had less than 100% backing from where it matters - the Board of Directors.

 

[EvenSteven]

I haven't seen anyone exonerating him, so this recent discussion is just confusing lol.

I don’t know about him being exonerated. But there hasn’t been one negative thing written here since the draft. Not that I noticed.

 

[Coaches Coroner]

I don’t know about him being exonerated. But there hasn’t been one negative thing written here since the draft. Not that I noticed.

Nothing has happened since the draft, there's just nothing new to say.

 

[Rangers True Blue]

Brown says that the rumblings within Rangers management is that Mesar is likely in the AHL this season. Now, outside of East Ave, the Rocket seem full to the brim and there are those who feel that Mesar would benefit from another season with the Rangers. His numbers weren't as stellar as some thought and his plus/minus is minus. With the right coach here in Kitchener, another season here may be more palatable to Montreal. Mesar would then have the opportunity of huge minutes, more seasoned coaching (trying to be positive here), and an OHL scoring crown. Hey...maybe even Captain.

 

[Jives]

I think if Mesar comes back he is traded for sure?

 

[Coaches Coroner]

he should be traded if he returns. Maybe he has a big summer and is ready for the AHL, but he didn't look physically mature enough for it and wasn't consistent enough at this level that I'd be confident he'd be ready to contribute consistently at that level.

 

[Habsrule]

I figure that Mesar is Laval bound.

Other than his first five games or so he didn’t look overly great for how high end of an import that he is. He was expected to be over point per game in the OHL.

If you look at the roster that Kitchener has this year before the season starts and compare it to last year’s roster it is really different. You have to figure that that if the Rangers placed 7th last year and that this year they are bound to be worse. Meaning a highly likely non playoff team. From a Montreal point of view is that really a team that you want him to play on?

The only way that it turns out positive is of his confidence skyrockets and he turns into say Derek Roy mode as a smaller player. A guy who plays with heart and hustles on every shift. Or else he gets traded to a better team where he can flourish more with better players around him.

Maybe going to Laval is the best for him. Roy, Kidney and Farrell will all be in their first AHL seasons. Maybe having lots of internal competition is what can work best for the young players to prove that they can play. Add Mesar in there and it makes four skilled rookie forwards.

 

[EvenSteven]

For me, if he can’t play top six minutes in Laval, he should be here. As an 04, he has time.

I’d explore / suggest a trade but the Habs would call the shots to an extent. We’ll be rebuilding next year but we still need decent vets. If he comes back and hits it out of the park here, without near as talented a roster as last year, that would speak volumes.

Perhaps then we move him at the deadline but not for peanuts. If we didn’t get value for him, there’s nothing wrong with him playing out the year here and moving on to either Laval or the Habs early as we should be a quick post season out.

The Habs may be just as happy with that scenario.

 

[Coaches Coroner]

I figure that Mesar is Laval bound.

Other than his first five games or so he didn’t look overly great for how high end of an import that he is. He was expected to be over point per game in the OHL.

If you look at the roster that Kitchener has this year before the season starts and compare it to last year’s roster it is really different. You have to figure that that if the Rangers placed 7th last year and that this year they are bound to be worse. Meaning a highly likely non playoff team. From a Montreal point of view is that really a team that you want him to play on?

The only way that it turns out positive is of his confidence skyrockets and he turns into say Derek Roy mode as a smaller player. A guy who plays with heart and hustles on every shift. Or else he gets traded to a better team where he can flourish more with better players around him.

Maybe going to Laval is the best for him. Roy, Kidney and Farrell will all be in their first AHL seasons. Maybe having lots of internal competition is what can work best for the young players to prove that they can play. Add Mesar in there and it makes four skilled rookie forwards.

...and if he's not ready and you shove him into laval he loses his confidence, doesn't develop his strengths further and doesn't iron out his weaknesses trying to keep his head above water playing with men.

If he doesn't get significantly stronger, he's better off going to the SHL or Liiga than the AHL imo. In the OHL he'd at least be THE go to guy, which hasn't really hurt other good players playing for bad junior teams. It means a ton of ice in all situations out of necessity.

 

[K2]

For me, if he can’t play top six minutes in Laval, he should be here. As an 04, he has time.

100%

He was seemingly too timid for the OHL last year; once the scouting on him was he’s easily knocked off the puck and may disappear after a couple hits his production became sporadic at best. Very skilled player that looked good against top U20 talent in tightly called games (WJC, etc) but failed to contribute and often looked slow and disengaged over a run of multiple games at a time here.

Habs know that he needs maximum North American minutes to eventually advance to their roster and can be patient, risk forcing him early or write him off and trade or lend him back overseas where he likely plays out his career.

He’s got marching orders for the Summer and will be in pro camps with strong expectations but if he hasn’t made major strides physically and developed a much edgier game, he’s better off getting maximum minutes in the OHL. If he works as hard as Derek Roy did at building strength, he could be as successful.

I think the Habs would embrace the idea of him being given more responsibility here if he doesn’t demonstrate top 6 depth potential at Laval camp.

 

[rangersblues]

Theoretically Mesar should be returned to the OHL but I think there's too many questions.

His development was negligible last season and coaching non-existent for most of the season. Who knows what's in store this season? Once he's sent back to junior, Montreal loses all control.

So while Mesar would greatly benefit from another year in junior I just don't see it happening, especially if we don't land a big name coach. I don't see that happening either.

 

[sbpointer]

Theoretically Mesar should be returned to the OHL but I think there's too many questions.

His development was negligible last season and coaching non-existent for most of the season. Who knows what's in store this season? Once he's sent back to junior, Montreal loses all control.

So while Mesar would greatly benefit from another year in junior I just don't see it happening, especially if we don't land a big name coach. I don't see that happening either.

MTL could convince the Rangers to trade him...
I'm if a team had assurances he would report the return could benefit the Rangers.
They don't need a player like Mesar this season anyway.
I can think of a contender down the 401 that could be a destination...

 

[dmead]

No thank you.

Besides, we dont have any injured goalies to send back the other way.

 

[EvenSteven]

No thank you.

Besides, we dont have any injured goalies to send back the other way.

You sure you don’t have a tough winger with a lame wing you could send us?

Don’t worry, like the last one you sent us, he could spend every waking minute back London with the Knights hanging with them on their playoff run!

 

[EvenSteven]

Once he's sent back to junior, Montreal loses all control.

I don’t think so. If the Habs send him back here, it’ll be under the conditions of x, y, and z. They’ll have say if we want him to be sent back here. The last thing the Rangers, or any other CHL team should be doing, is ignoring the wishes of the NHL team that holds the rights to their prospects.

If we didn’t agree to x, y, and z, and Mesar isn’t ready to play top six in Laval, the Habs could dispatch him to the ECHL (unlikely), or demand his rights be traded to another OHL team, if they want him to continue his development in NA, before he’s sent back to the OHL.

It’s not totally uncommon. St.Louis forced Alex Pietrangelo to be traded before he was sent back for his final OHL season.

Years ago here in Kitchener, Detroit forced the trade of Jason Firth before they’d send him back to the OHL.

Bottom line, the NHL teams do have some say when it comes to their prospects. Especially when you consider the $$$ that NHL teams send to the OHL every year.

And the end of the day, Mesar hasn’t shown that he’s above this league based on his play here last year. Sure there may have been coaching issues. But that doesn’t explain him seemingly folding his tent when knocked around a bit. As has been said, to play the NA game, he needs to get stronger, bulk up and show that he can fight through traffic, etc.

Derek Roy is a good comparable. If Mesar can come back here next year, and excel playing in all situations as Roy did, he’ll be a much better prospect for the Canadiens. Playing on a rebuilding team, where he will be the #1 forward period, he’ll be given every opportunity in every situation to be a Derek Roy type player. The skill is there. That’s the hard part. It’s the intangibles that he has to work on. If he can put his nose to the grindstone, fight through the pressure of the NA game, the Habs may just have a very good prospect here.

And the Ranger’s a very good player next year.

 

[rangersblues]

I don’t think so. If the Habs send him back here, it’ll be under the conditions of x, y, and z. They’ll have say if we want him to be sent back here. The last thing the Rangers, or any other CHL team should be doing, is ignoring the wishes of the NHL team that holds the rights to their prospects.

If we didn’t agree to x, y, and z, and Mesar isn’t ready to play top six in Laval, the Habs could dispatch him to the ECHL (unlikely), or demand his rights be traded to another OHL team, if they want him to continue his development in NA, before he’s sent back to the OHL.

It’s not totally uncommon. St.Louis forced Alex Pietrangelo to be traded before he was sent back for his final OHL season.

Years ago here in Kitchener, Detroit forced the trade of Jason Firth before they’d send him back to the OHL.

Bottom line, the NHL teams do have some say when it comes to their prospects. Especially when you consider the $$$ that NHL teams send to the OHL every year.

And the end of the day, Mesar hasn’t shown that he’s above this league based on his play here last year. Sure there may have been coaching issues. But that doesn’t explain him seemingly folding his tent when knocked around a bit. As has been said, to play the NA game, he needs to get stronger, bulk up and show that he can fight through traffic, etc.

Derek Roy is a good comparable. If Mesar can come back here next year, and excel playing in all situations as Roy did, he’ll be a much better prospect for the Canadiens. Playing on a rebuilding team, where he will be the #1 forward period, he’ll be given every opportunity in every situation to be a Derek Roy type player. The skill is there. That’s the hard part. It’s the intangibles that he has to work on. If he can put his nose to the grindstone, fight through the pressure of the NA game, the Habs may just have a very good prospect here.

And the Ranger’s a very good player next year.

Mesar has not at any time shown the tenacity to be a Derek Roy type player.

 

[GeoBlue]

No thank you.

Besides, we dont have any injured goalies to send back the other way.

You do. You just seem to like to keep them for the playoffs.

 

[GeoBlue]

I don’t think so. If the Habs send him back here, it’ll be under the conditions of x, y, and z. They’ll have say if we want him to be sent back here. The last thing the Rangers, or any other CHL team should be doing, is ignoring the wishes of the NHL team that holds the rights to their prospects.

If we didn’t agree to x, y, and z, and Mesar isn’t ready to play top six in Laval, the Habs could dispatch him to the ECHL (unlikely), or demand his rights be traded to another OHL team, if they want him to continue his development in NA, before he’s sent back to the OHL.

It’s not totally uncommon. St.Louis forced Alex Pietrangelo to be traded before he was sent back for his final OHL season.

Years ago here in Kitchener, Detroit forced the trade of Jason Firth before they’d send him back to the OHL.

Bottom line, the NHL teams do have some say when it comes to their prospects. Especially when you consider the $$$ that NHL teams send to the OHL every year.

And the end of the day, Mesar hasn’t shown that he’s above this league based on his play here last year. Sure there may have been coaching issues. But that doesn’t explain him seemingly folding his tent when knocked around a bit. As has been said, to play the NA game, he needs to get stronger, bulk up and show that he can fight through traffic, etc.

Derek Roy is a good comparable. If Mesar can come back here next year, and excel playing in all situations as Roy did, he’ll be a much better prospect for the Canadiens. Playing on a rebuilding team, where he will be the #1 forward period, he’ll be given every opportunity in every situation to be a Derek Roy type player. The skill is there. That’s the hard part. It’s the intangibles that he has to work on. If he can put his nose to the grindstone, fight through the pressure of the NA game, the Habs may just have a very good prospect here.

And the Ranger’s a very good player next year.

Agree. Throw him out there with Rake and Martin and let those guys rack up some major points. Then trade them off!

 

[Rangers True Blue]

And despite coaching last season, Pinelli soared in the 2nd half and Sop certainly upped his game. So I wouldn't say Mesar can't do that this season with better coaching (positive vibe here). It's his opportunity to shine not just in scoring but in his defensive game which sadly lacked. It's another year to bulk up and develop physically. Then come playoffs, he's traded to a contender where he can go for a championship or perhaps even the Cup.