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

[bobber]

In a rebuild year a team usually ends up at the bottom of the standings. This secures a high pick or two in the following draft to compliment the players they picked last draft. Hope the new coach has a say in players coming in. The cookie cutter style players they have been drafting need to be a thing of the past IMO. On Hollett , I think if he had some decent defensive coaching he might have been better on the back end. Developing defensemen into pro hockey players was nonexistent at the Aud. Schmidt with his size and mobility should have been one of the top Dmen in the league. Hopefully this changes with the new staff one the ice.

 

[dirty12]

Yeah that was crazy. As for this year, Kitchener is the obvious seller in the west. As for others, depending how their respective seasons go, maybe one could make a case for Sarnia and / or Windsor...and maybe Flint (?) Not sure about the east but perhaps Niagara and Peterborough, although maybe the Petes surprise. North Bay may be in a similar situation as the Petes (?)

In the end it will be supply and demand, and how bad a buying team wants a certain player. As Ward mentioned, in theory, one would think that there could be potentially more buyers this season than on an average year because of the league being Memorial Cup hosts.

I see the Rangers providing extra ice time for their vets in the first half to give them every opportunity to show their worth (at least I hope). In the meantime the rookies will still get plenty opportunities too, but moreso in the 2nd half assuming some pieces get traded off. Of course there's always that risk of injury, which can potentially throw a wrench in plans in getting some much needed assets from a planned trade.

There is a surplus of OAs. Maybe 2-3 OAs return good value. Ertel, Savard, Martin, Gilmartin; does it matter? If they want to recoup spent picks all in one year, Windsor and Kitchener may consider trading Abraham and Rehkopf.

The Petes may surprise and not sell if signed OAs Avon & Robertson are surprisingly returned.
Flint and NB don’t have to sell, but might if not in contention.

 

[Habsrule]

Going back to Hollett I love what he did as a forward last season. Problem is I don’t see any of the other three OAs having big value in the current day. They will all need to have a big first half to get good value out of them.

Sop - he had 56 points in 67 last year. For other teams that doesn’t scream that he is a big offensive threat. Don’t get me wrong he can play on most teams top six but on paper he doesn’t look like a player to drive a line. Let him have a lot of ice time and lots of power play time. Have him rack up the points and increase his value for the deadline.

Martin - he was injured for a good chunk of last year. He had 34 points in 47 games. He is a power forward who will drive the puck to the net but he hasn’t produced big numbers. He plays a physical game and teams should be all over him for the playoffs. He is a playoffs type of player. Let him rack up the points this year and you will see multiple teams after him at the deadline.

Motew - he is a harder one to value for me. He just does everything right but nothing great. He had 29 points in 57 games, so he provided offence from the back end but not like he is a PPQB. He is good defensively but is not some hulking player or plays a physical game that teams would be all over. Yet he did lead the Rangers in +/- last year. He is just a solid defenceman who will improve any teams top four. Let him play until the deadline and see what teams are looking to upgrade their defence or some team may have injury trouble and he is a good player to fit in.




I just can’t see any of those three players being traded today for a good enough return to have Hollett play on the team.

 

[GeoBlue]

I just can’t see any of those three players being traded today for a good enough return to have Hollett play on the team.

But they WILL be traded whether the Rangers get the hoped for value or not. What would be the point in keeping them?

 

[rangersblues]

But they WILL be traded whether the Rangers get the hoped for value or not. What would be the point in keeping them?

Eventually. But I don't think there's a time table so you can't really carry 4 OAs.

 

[Habsrule]

But they WILL be traded whether the Rangers get the hoped for value or not. What would be the point in keeping them?

You still need some vets to break in the rookies. At least to start their OHL careers and get their feet wet.

I’m sure that the new coaching staff want to have a somewhat ok of a roster to try to work with to start. They want to prove that they can put a system in place and at least be competitive.

 

[rangersblues]

You still need some vets to break in the rookies. At least to start their OHL careers and get their feet wet.

I’m sure that the new coaching staff want to have a somewhat ok of a roster to try to work with to start. They want to prove that they can put a system in place and at least be competitive.

Especially when you consider Brzustewicz will be traded at any time the right deal comes along.

 

[Gondrex]

Going back to Hollett I love what he did as a forward last season. Problem is I don’t see any of the other three OAs having big value in the current day. They will all need to have a big first half to get good value out of them.

Sop - he had 56 points in 67 last year. For other teams that doesn’t scream that he is a big offensive threat. Don’t get me wrong he can play on most teams top six but on paper he doesn’t look like a player to drive a line. Let him have a lot of ice time and lots of power play time. Have him rack up the points and increase his value for the deadline.

Martin - he was injured for a good chunk of last year. He had 34 points in 47 games. He is a power forward who will drive the puck to the net but he hasn’t produced big numbers. He plays a physical game and teams should be all over him for the playoffs. He is a playoffs type of player. Let him rack up the points this year and you will see multiple teams after him at the deadline.

Motew - he is a harder one to value for me. He just does everything right but nothing great. He had 29 points in 57 games, so he provided offence from the back end but not like he is a PPQB. He is good defensively but is not some hulking player or plays a physical game that teams would be all over. Yet he did lead the Rangers in +/- last year. He is just a solid defenceman who will improve any teams top four. Let him play until the deadline and see what teams are looking to upgrade their defence or some team may have injury trouble and he is a good player to fit in.




I just can’t see any of those three players being traded today for a good enough return to have Hollett play on the team.

I think your overview is fair. Of the three, Martin is the obvious one that would potentially generate the most interest. Let's hope he has a great first half and stays healthy.

I've learned from last year not to underestimate Sop. I do agree though. I think he needs to do something special to garner interest.

There may be good intent to trade all three at the trade deadline, but at the end of the day, the reality is that there's the possibility of being zero interest from any other team in one or two of these OA's - depending on how they play the first 3 months of the schedule.

 

[Habsrule]

Especially when you consider Brzustewicz will be traded at any time the right deal comes along.

Exactly. Say the Rangers traded Brzustewicz and Motew today that would leave the defence looking like;

Hamara - Andonovski
Reid - Scott
Runco - ???

Rangers would need to get some sort of defenceman roster filler in. You can’t just play a team full of rookies and hope that they all improve and grow together. You need some vets in to show and teach the rookies. At least for the first half of the year.

 

[EvenSteven]

Eventually. But I don't think there's a time table so you can't really carry 4 OAs.

I agree the best time to move Martin is at the deadline. Gota get the value up. But Sop and Motew are what they are. Sop should be a point a game player as a third on a contending team’s first or second line. Motew a solid top for D on a contender. We wouldn’t get a landslide return for either but if a 3rd, 6th is possible for one of them, I’d be all over it.

Then Hollett would have been the third OA. I move Martin at the deadline. He’d be the most valuable of the group by then.

I’d have gone with four to start the season for the first couple months. Teams often do this.

The only thing is, maybe Hollett was presented with this scenario and didn’t want to often be the odd man out of the lineup to start the season til a trade happened and chose to move on. Who knows. But I’m surprised he’s turning his back on his last OHL season. Especially when it means another year of post secondary education paid for.

 

[EvenSteven]

Exactly. Say the Rangers traded Brzustewicz and Motew today that would leave the defence looking like;

Hamara - Andonovski
Reid - Scott
Runco - ???

Rangers would need to get some sort of defenceman roster filler in. You can’t just play a team full of rookies and hope that they all improve and grow together. You need some vets in to show and teach the rookies. At least for the first half of the year.

Harper cost us a 9th.
Hollett cost us a 5th.

Guys like this are around every year at decent prices to fill out a backend.

 

[EvenSteven]

There may be good intent to trade all three at the trade deadline, but at the end of the day, the reality is that there's the possibility of being zero interest from any other team in one or two of these OA's - depending on how they play the first 3 months of the schedule.

I’d be shocked if we were able to trade all three for decent return. The more likely situation is we trade Martin for very good return and whichever one of the other two brings the better return.

Then we keep the third for the duration.

 

[rangersblues]

I agree the best time to move Martin is at the deadline. Gota get the value up. But Sop and Motew are what they are. Sop should be a point a game player as a third on a contending team’s first or second line. Motew a solid top for D on a contender. We wouldn’t get a landslide return for either but if a 3rd, 6th is possible for one of them, I’d be all over it.

Then Hollett would have been the third OA. I move Martin at the deadline. He’d be the most valuable of the group by then.

I’d have gone with four to start the season for the first couple months. Teams often do this.

The only thing is, maybe Hollett was presented with this scenario and didn’t want to often be the odd man out of the lineup to start the season til a trade happened and chose to move on. Who knows. But I’m surprised he’s turning his back on his last OHL season. Especially when it means another year of post secondary education paid for.

I agree with what you said about it being Hollett's decision. As for the package who knows what his situation was. He may already have some university under his belt the past 2 seasons and only needs the 2 full seasons he has qualified for. Also unsure if the OHL has to commit to the package for the covid season or not. Is it also possible a Tier II team could pick up some or all of his package for playing this season.

At any rate he decided it wasn't worth his while to be an OA in Kitchener, especially the 4th one.

 

[EvenSteven]

I agree with what you said about it being Hollett's decision. As for the package who knows what his situation was. He may already have some university under his belt the past 2 seasons and only needs the 2 full seasons he has qualified for. Also unsure if the OHL has to commit to the package for the covid season or not. Is it also possible a Tier II team could pick up some or all of his package for playing this season.

At any rate he decided it wasn't worth his while to be an OA in Kitchener, especially the 4th one.

There’s been no announcement, but perhaps he’s planning on going to school this year and play hockey there? Wouldn’t be the first Ranger to forego an OA season to go to school early. Matt Grenier comes to mind.

 

[GeoBlue]

Harper cost us a 9th.
Hollett cost us a 5th.

Guys like this are around every year at decent prices to fill out a backend.

You took the words right out of my mouth, Even. Even if we get sub par value for our OA's, though the hope is that they do well the first half of the season and increase their worth, there are still OA's out there of the Hollett ilk that can help develop our rookies.

What I was trying to say in my earlier post is although our OA's are not high calibre, they are not lower calibre either, and should give us some sort of value or picks in return. I am sure there will be interest. It is just a matter of showing how much, if any, they have improved from last year.

 

[EvenSteven]

What I was trying to say in my earlier post is although our OA's are not high calibre, they are not lower calibre either, and should give us some sort of value or picks in return. I am sure there will be interest. It is just a matter of showing how much, if any, they have improved from last year.

The Joe Carrol 3rd, 6th, 12th neighbourhood shouldn’t be out of line as a return for Sop or Motew I’m thinking.

Martin? A ‘24 2nd plus a couple lesser picks should be expected?

 

[Gondrex]

I’m trying to recall roughly what percentage of the time OA’s are swapped between teams (?) - ie. a “lesser OA“ + pick(s) are returned in an OA trade. Anybody got a feel for this?

 

[Wolf on a Wire]

I’m trying to recall roughly what percentage of the time OA’s are swapped between teams (?) - ie. a “lesser OA“ + pick(s) are returned in an OA trade. Anybody got a feel for this?

You might see more of this type of trade because the the surplus of OAs that is been reported. If a surplus does exist, the best of the group will stay so upgrading that OA position at the deadline may prove to be difficult. IMO

 

[GeoBlue]

I’m trying to recall roughly what percentage of the time OA’s are swapped between teams (?) - ie. a “lesser OA“ + pick(s) are returned in an OA trade. Anybody got a feel for this?

Look no further than Joseph Serpa and picks for Lleyton Moore. I am sure there are many others.

 

[EvenSteven]

Look no further than Joseph Serpa and picks for Lleyton Moore. I am sure there are many others.

Two more quick examples:

Xhekaj / Mutter
Shutron / Lalonde.

 

[EvenSteven]

The thing is, if you’re dealing away a higher end OA at the deadline, it’s understood that you find a landing spot for the player not in the other team’s plans to finish his OHL career.

It was likely part of the deal for Oshawa to take Serpa back in the Moore trade. Otherwise, we’d have to release Serpa and there was the possibility that he wouldn’t find a landing spot to finish the season. Oshawa probably didn’t need to have Serpa in the deal, but it was good business for them to give him a place to play to close the deal. That is a deadline thing.

When I suggested that Sudbury could be a good trade partner for Martin, I had Toure coming back in the deal as the Wolves would need to find a place for him to play.

That’s why I suggested, while Hollett was still here, we move one of Sop or Motew early so we wouldn’t need to be take an OA back as teams are still ironing out who their OA’s are. Then if we moved Martin and the other guy at the deadline, when there’d probably be OA’s coming back in those deals, we’d still have three OA’s.

 

[Rangers True Blue]

According to JB's article, MM says that there are jobs up for grabs at training camp. Looking for one forward, one defenceman, and a goalie.

Scouring the training camp roster....

Forward - Both Gleb Akimov (2005) and Matthew Hlacar (2006) were invited back from spring camp. Akimov has a deadly shot and Hlacar is a hitman with upside. Philip Caridi is an interesting invite (grit) and Cameron Arquette (4th Rnd 2023) will get another look.

Defense - Lex Terrance (2006) and Luka Cenanovik (2006) both looked good at spring camp. Kaden Schneider (2007), Brady Hamlin (2005), and Brandt Dubey (2006) are others to watch. I lean towards Terrance.

Goalie - 6'3" Owen Edwards G (he's a 2007....so you'd have 6'2" Parsons 2005 and 6'3" DiFelice 2006)
Looking forward to seeing Parsons. Been a while...

First time seeing Ellinas and Runko.....and let's see how the rookies fare in a more OHL environment.

 

[Habsrule]

Does anyone know what day it is that the players report to camp? I like to go to the Aud with my son and watch the players practice.

 

[rangersblues]

Does anyone know what day it is that the players report to camp? I like to go to the Aud with my son and watch the players practice.

Kitchener Rangers 2023 Training Camp Details Announced - Kitchener Rangers %

chl.ca

 

[Habsrule]

Kitchener Rangers 2023 Training Camp Details Announced - Kitchener Rangers %

chl.ca

Thank you very much