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

[EvenSteven]

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

True. But the skill is there. It’s the tenacity, etc he needs to develop.

 

[Ward Cornell]

True. But the skill is there. It’s the tenacity, etc he needs to develop.

Honestly, IMHO tenacity and somewhat hustle can't be developed. It's either you have it or you don't.

 

[Jives]

Vandenberg for 2nd, 5th and Runco. Solid trade imo. Getting a 2nd is big. Runco maybe we turn into something and flip him for a decent pick next year.

 

[K2]

Vanderberg for 2nd, 5th and Runco. Solid trade imo. Getting a 2nd is big. Runco maybe we turn into something and flip him for a decent pick next year.

Good return, I assume MM's confident that net duties are covered with Parsons & DiFelice (etc).

Busy Niagara ... also flipped Andrew & Jacob LeBlanc to Sarnia for a 14th in 2024, a 6th + 15th in 2025 and a 5th in2027.

 

[Jives]

Ya…it was a choice of Parson or Vandenberg to go with DiFelice. I’m guessing Parson current value is not that of Vandenberg so he went with the better return in a trade. It would not shock me to see Parson be traded during the season for a worst veteran goalie. Like Parson for X vet goalie and a 2nd or 3rd.

 

[EvenSteven]

Big win MM in this trade. Anytime you can move your third stringer last year, and odd man out this year for a 2nd, is a big win.

 

[sbpointer]

Big win MM in this trade. Anytime you can move your third stringer last year, and odd man out this year for a 2nd, is a big win.

I get your sentiment here but third stringer is a bit disingenuous. Third string in 21-22 but your backup last season and filled the role well.
Unfortunate he got dealt to Niagara but somebody's gotta play there..

 

[Coaches Coroner]

I get your sentiment here but third stringer is a bit disingenuous. Third string in 21-22 but your backup last season and filled the role well.
Unfortunate he got dealt to Niagara but somebody's gotta play there..

He was only back up due to injury. Is Parsons doesn't get injured early (and is returning next year) he doesn't play much (Marco was acquired while Parsons was still in the picture) and would be slotted for back up duties this coming season either way. I liked him in his role, but this seems like good asset management. Hopefully Niagra gets more out of him than they did the Leblanc deal.

 

[bobber]

Good trade. The twins weren't really OHL caliber here in KTown IMO. The really never amounted to much. I thought Vandenberg was the go to guy but I guess the offer was too good to pass on. Maybe Sarnia can make something out of them with proper coaching.

 

[EvenSteven]

Good trade. The twins weren't really OHL caliber here in KTown IMO. The really never amounted to much. I thought Vandenberg was the go to guy but I guess the offer was too good to pass on. Maybe Sarnia can make something out of them with proper coaching.

I thought Jacob was an ok D and would have been decent here. Not too bad, but a player and looked to be a better player than Andrew.

The problem is he seems to be shackled to his brother. They come as a package obviously. Andrew, who was taken in the 1st round, isn’t living up to that billing.

 

[Matttheleaf]

If you look at the Instagram comments on the post about the trade, you would think that Vandenberg was the best goalie in the world last year, and that he would somehow lead us to a championship next year.

 

[Jives]

If you look at the Instagram comments on the post about the trade, you would think that Vandenberg was the best goalie in the world last year, and that he would somehow lead us to a championship next year.

I think the average fan just sees a pretty good goalie being traded away. They don’t realize what this team will be like this year…rebuild and bad so zero need for 2 19 year old goalies. I think the average fan if Rehkopf got traded tomorrow would lose there mind when the people that actually follow the OHL would understand if the return is large enough to get it done.

 

[EvenSteven]

Regarding Runco. He looks to be a project along the lines of Morey and Scott. I like his PIMs at the JrB level. Decent size. 6 feet but thick at over 200lbs.

We’ll see.

 

[EvenSteven]

So, combined, in his last two trades, MM has brought in two 2nds, a 5th, and Runco. He gave up third stringer Marcus Vandenberg, two 4ths, and a 5th.

On the surface, that’s shrewd dealing! There may be another shoe to drop on that Saginaw deal. But as it stands now, GM’s around the league may stop taking MM’s calls.

 

[dmead]

I think the average fan just sees a pretty good goalie being traded away. They don’t realize what this team will be like this year…rebuild and bad so zero need for 2 19 year old goalies. I think the average fan if Rehkopf got traded tomorrow would lose there mind when the people that actually follow the OHL would understand if the return is large enough to get it done.

I woukd take Rehkopf in a heartbeat. There will be willing trade partners calling for him.should get a player plus 2 or 3 picks.

 

[Rangers True Blue]

I thought Jacob was an ok D and would have been decent here. Not too bad, but a player and looked to be a better player than Andrew.

The problem is he seems to be shackled to his brother. They come as a package obviously. Andrew, who was taken in the 1st round, isn’t living up to that billing.

It's unfortunate that Jacob gets pulled around by his brother. I would have liked to see him stay with the Rangers. Now they're with yet another team. I do wish them well with Sarnia.

 

[Wolf on a Wire]

So, combined, in his last two trades, MM has brought in two 2nds, a 5th, and Runco. He gave up third stringer Marcus Vandenberg, two 4ths, and a 5th.

On the surface, that’s shrewd dealing! There may be another shoe to drop on that Saginaw deal. But as it stands now, GM’s around the league may stop taking MM’s calls.

I thought fans on here wanted him fired? Now he is god? Confused!

 

[Gondrex]

I thought fans on here wanted him fired? Now he is god? Confused!

Fans can get frustrated at any given time. There have been many instances of this in the past - regarding players for example. I remember some past posts wishing that Pinelli and a couple years back Xhekaj, both who were taking foolish penalties at the time, would be traded. I can't blame fans. At the time some of the actions of those players had cost the team.

It's likely a case of recency bias. We're perhaps all guilty of it. I've seen it on other boards too.

As for MM, he's not perfect, and there may arguably be some better GM's in the league, but in my own opinion I think he is still better than average.

 

[bobber]

I thought fans on here wanted him fired? Now he is god? Confused!

Wolfie we Ranger fans were confused as hell by the performance of the Ranger team this past season. No consistency during the regular season. Beat out the top team in the west four straight . Then go back into their shell against the Knights. Now fans of other teams are starting to be confused by the Rangers also. MM did a decent job in trading Vandenberg and fans gave him credit. He is our GM for better or worse. Better then being on the short end of the stick on a trade.

 

[Wolf on a Wire]

Wolfie we Ranger fans were confused as hell by the performance of the Ranger team this past season. No consistency during the regular season. Beat out the top team in the west four straight . Then go back into their shell against the Knights. Now fans of other teams are starting to be confused by the Rangers also. MM did a decent job in trading Vandenberg and fans gave him credit. He is our GM for better or worse. Better then being on the short end of the stick on a trade.

Agreed…

 

[Jives]

2nd to Saginaw for 4th and 5th. 2nd part of the trade that looked very lopsided. Now that even ups that trade. Some thought it was a Hunter B. being moved but not the case. He still might go to Sag but that trade will have nothing to do with these past 2 trades.

 

[HUSH10]

Oshawa fan here. Curious what Kitchener fans thoughts are on Rookie goalie, from Oshawa Owen Edwards. Anyone see him at camp?

 

[Gondrex]

Oshawa fan here. Curious what Kitchener fans thoughts are on Rookie goalie, from Oshawa Owen Edwards. Anyone see him at camp?

I can't personally comment on Edwards, but I like what I saw in your 12th round 2022 goaltending pick - Waterloo native Noah Bender - for the Schmalz Cup winning Wellesley Applejacks (one of the tougher trophies to win in hockey - 60 teams in Ontario). Pretty good season numbers, and great in the round-robin finals. Will he stay at the Jr C level though ? Who knows.

* Edit: He had just signed with Stratford with Stratford Warriors (jr. B).

 

[K2]

Oshawa fan here. Curious what Kitchener fans thoughts are on Rookie goalie, from Oshawa Owen Edwards. Anyone see him at camp?

He had a pretty rough period sharing a game with our odds-on BUG DeFelice, coming in after one tied at 1-1 and giving up a couple quick goals then more in a game that finished 7-1.

It's unfortunate that Jacob gets pulled around by his brother. I would have liked to see him stay with the Rangers. Now they're with yet another team. I do wish them well with Sarnia.

I wish them well too; glad they demanded a trade and could stay together. They actually both achieved career best point production on the last place team in the league while it was suffering from a serious player maltreatment situation that drew a heavy fine, sanctions and suspension/expulsions including an owner/GM (suspended) that behaved like something of a dumpster fire.

As for MM, he's not perfect, and there may arguably be some better GM's in the league, but in my own opinion I think he is still better than average.

Agreed. Last season's team had a flawed chemistry that left them cycling from hero to zero. MM tried to trade our way out of it, then took over as HC and we'd be better but regress each time. We fizzled at season's end, then spanked Windsor and buckled vs London, save for dominating game 3. We're we simply short a catalyst player like Petizian ... maybe we needed Diaco instead of Moore ... maybe it was hopeless? Hopefully some lessons learned and forward we go.

 

[bobber]

He had a pretty rough period sharing a game with our odds-on BUG DeFelice, coming in after one tied at 1-1 and giving up a couple quick goals then more in a game that finished 7-1.


I wish them well too; glad they demanded a trade and could stay together. They actually both achieved career best point production on the last place team in the league while it was suffering from a serious player maltreatment situation that drew a heavy fine, sanctions and suspension/expulsions including an owner/GM (suspended) that behaved like something of a dumpster fire.


Agreed. Last season's team had a flawed chemistry that left them cycling from hero to zero. MM tried to trade our way out of it, then took over as HC and we'd be better but regress each time. We fizzled at season's end, then spanked Windsor and buckled vs London, save for dominating game 3. We're we simply short a catalyst player like Petizian ... maybe we needed Diaco instead of Moore ... maybe it was hopeless? Hopefully some lessons learned and forward we go.

On the Leblanc twins someone on Sarnia mentioned there plus/minus stats were -54 for Andrew and -59 for Jacob. Some of the worse in the league. I would love to see both step up and be factors on the Sting. It would show one of two things. Either they weren't being developed here and in Niagara or they were just not up to the level of other OHL players in their age group. As for this past Ranger season I think the team was vastly over rated going into the season. Some prognosticators had them pegged for a top team in the league. They weren't that great defensively the year before and basically came into this past season with the same defense. There was a total lack of leadership. They were like that proverbial box of chocolates. We never knew which team would show up. The trades they made gave us hope that we might start seeing some decent hockey. That only came to fruition in the Windsor series and that is still a mystery. It's like we saw a sasquatch and we still aren't sure it was real.