Kitchener Rangers 2022-23 Season Thread (Part 3)

[Ward Cornell]

Rangers have some weaknesses like every other team. Going into this season I saw the defense as a huge weakness with no grit. Not many banners raised on teams with absolutely no grit on the back end. Also this team is not putting enough pucks behind opposing goalies. Whatever the system is it falls apart at some point in the game. They have opportunities to put the puck on net and the forward always makes one more pass and breaks up the play for some reason. Yet it happens over and over and MM bitches about the refs after.

Two things winning teams has....structure and discipline.

Looking for a bit of help...........Can anyone direct me to a podcast or video where Joseph Serpa states that the Rangers have no structure? Thank you in advance.

 

[TheBlueMonster]

Looking for a bit of help...........Can anyone direct me to a podcast or video where Joseph Serpa states that the Rangers have no structure? Thank you in advance.

Unless someone PVR'd the game, I don't think we will see it but if someone can tell me when it happened, game, time it happened (Doesn't have to be exact just let me know if it was during a stoppage or intermission) ill clip it and send it to you.

 

[bobber]

Looking for a bit of help...........Can anyone direct me to a podcast or video where Joseph Serpa states that the Rangers have no structure? Thank you in advance.

That was during Serpa's first interview as an Oshawa General with Sean Furfaro on Rogers TV down in the alley way before the game. Not sure if it was the scouting report on the Rangers by Oshawa or Serpa's own thought as a former player. He did say Oshawa has structure.

 

[TheBlueMonster]

Rangers have some weaknesses like every other team. Going into this season I saw the defense as a huge weakness with no grit. Not many banners raised on teams with absolutely no grit on the back end. Also this team is not putting enough pucks behind opposing goalies. Whatever the system is it falls apart at some point in the game. They have opportunities to put the puck on net and the forward always makes one more pass and breaks up the play for some reason. Yet it happens over and over and MM bitches about the refs after.

It's a marry go round of excuses.

I think its missed that the whole league plays with the same officiating. It's not just bad for us and perfect for everyone else.

Also I don't buy this excuse I saw floated out there (Forget where) that the league has a bias against us.

Truthfully I don't think the league gives nearly enough of a shit what happens in Kitchener these days. Far from the same organization that was a gold standard for the league.


But with the excuses it was:

Injuries.
Not playing with full line up
Patience (My favorite) its the straw that stirs the drink lol.
Officiating.
Stars not playing well enough (Stars are the only ones keeping this team in 8th lol)

List goes on. They're running out of excuses and now they're desperate so they're throwing what they can at the wall to see what sticks.


Last nights game wasn't the best officiated games. Poor officiating doesn't equate to 12 shots over a 40 minute time frame. Not to mention one quick glimpse of the score sheet suggests that the calls where fairly even. Complain about missed calls sure, but is he suggesting that Kitchener didn't get away with anything this game or any game recently?

 

[sbpointer]

In Pope's article MM was angry about the refs not being consistent in the OHL. This has always been the case and it was last night. I think he should be more angry about the giveaways and takeaways that happen in games like last night. Not sure why the Rangers defense handles the puck like a hot potato. Couple of games they play like world killers and others its like a dogs breakfast inside their blue line.

MMs point here didn't even make sense.. Yes it's unfortunate a player is at home injured but if he was injured on a clean hit how does that relate to a blatantly dirty play??
I mean he's not wrong the officiating and supplimental dicipline are horribly inconstant in the OHL he just did a poor job making his case..

 

[StingUpdates]

Sarnia had about 8 power plays the last time these teams met. You could knock them down with a feather. The call on Rehkopf was brutal. All 10s for that diving exhibition but the refs called it anyway. The OHL is like the proverbial box of chocolates. You never know what you are going to get.

I implore you to go watch that Rehkopf penalty again lol. He intentionally tripped Fischer with his skates. Clear as day. Thought about throwing a hit then decided not to & completely stuck his feet out underneath Fischer who fell.

As for the Pinelli one, live it looked dirty as heck. There were somehow no clear, good camera views of it. At least on the broadcast the camera crew either just missed it or were blocked by a player. So at that point your going off live look of the refs & like I said, live it looked dirty (which it was) but 50/50 if it deserved a major. Doesn't help he's already been kicked out of a game for a cross check to the head..

The Zhilkin net front stuff I see the annoyance, but Martin came from behind & pushed Dillingham into Zhilkin. Once up Zhilkin grabbed Dillingham from behind into a mini headlock so I see why he got roughing too. But I can understand wanting an extra 2 on our side.

 

[bobber]

Just thinking about the Rangers being involved with PC Childrens Charity. Don't we all give to that every week shopping at Zehrs. Galen Weston JR. was put in a pillory on This Hour Has 22 Minutes. You would think he could give a little more with all the profits he makes on 20 dollar cabbages.

I implore you to go watch that Rehkopf penalty again lol. He intentionally tripped Fischer with his skates. Clear as day. Thought about throwing a hit then decided not to & completely stuck his feet out underneath Fischer who fell.

As for the Pinelli one, live it looked dirty as heck. There were somehow no clear, good camera views of it. At least on the broadcast the camera crew either just missed it or were blocked by a player.

Updates , we all see things through our rose coloured glasses.

 

[StingUpdates]

Just thinking about the Rangers being involved with PC Childrens Charity. Don't we all give to that every week shopping at Zehrs. Galen Weston JR. was put in a pillory on This Hour Has 22 Minutes. You would think he could give a little more with all the profits he makes on 20 dollar cabbages.


Updates , we all see things through our rose coloured glasses.

Haha. Fair! I just didn't see a dive there. He immediately got back up to try & catch him. Usually if u flop its a bit more dramatic haha. We've both seen LDN enough over the years to know what a 10/10 dive really looks like hahah.

I am with you guys though about the officiating this season. It's not just the OHL. It's been a joke in the NHL too. It's a real problem in hockey. It's making the product far worsem

 

[rangersblues]

Looking for a bit of help...........Can anyone direct me to a podcast or video where Joseph Serpa states that the Rangers have no structure? Thank you in advance.

Didn't Serpa tell Sean Ferfaro the Rangers were playing with no structure during a between periods interview vs Oshawa?

 

[GeoBlue]

Don't we all give to that every week shopping at Zehrs. Galen Weston JR. was put in a pillory on This Hour Has 22 Minutes. You would think he could give a little more with all the profits he makes on 20 dollar cabbages.

Actually, no. I gave up shopping at Zehrs many years ago. Found out I could go to a 2nd tier place like Freshco or No Frills and get twice as many groceries despite the apples and tomatoes being smaller.

 

[GeoBlue]

But with the excuses it was:

Injuries.
Not playing with full line up
Patience (My favorite) its the straw that stirs the drink lol.
Officiating.
Stars not playing well enough (Stars are the only ones keeping this team in 8th lol)

List goes on. They're running out of excuses and now they're desperate so they're throwing what they can at the wall to see what sticks.

The theme with Pope and Farwell after last nights game was that there was still 25 games left to build confidence and consistency. They talked about the streakiness. Fine, but a 5 game losing streak, followed by a 6 game winning streak, followed by a 6 game losing streak, etc., well, that to me is a .500 hockey club no matter how you slice it. (by the way, 19-22-2 as of today) So if you want to look at the 25 games left theory, well, how about the other 43 games where they established absolutely nothing. Why would one think that something is magically going to change? I suppose the answer is somewhere in your list above. LOL!

 

[LostRangers]

It's worth being a long time director. Seasons tickets for life after. We have beaten that dead horse to death on here. Helps to vent somewhere. I believe there is a small group of people on the hockey committee that make all decisions on hiring and firing down at the hallowed grounds. Apparently there is one hell of a long rope down there. If the Rangers were to fail to make the playoffs everyone involved in the fiasco should be run out of town. Last nights game exposed a lot of weaknesses in the way this team is being coached. MM sits and watches. He does make decisions on who they draft and how the team is built.

New to the Forum. Been a reader for a while. Enjoy the banter. As a STH and knowing some of the current/past directors, I wanted to try to clarify a couple of things.
The 38 'Directors' are for the most part glorified volunteers. Those same Directors are the people you see selling 50/50 tickets, programs, jersey raffles and any special events the Rangers run. It's one of the reasons I never ran, because I enjoy (enjoyed) watching the games and didn't want to have to give that up. The Directors are elected each year at the Annual Meeting. Mostly a popularity contest.
There is a Board that is elected out of those 38 Directors. There are around 10-12 people on that Board. It is supposed to be an Administrative Board, meaning that it has no direct imput or direction on the Operations of the club. So we can't expect the Board to do anything with respect to the Coach and/or GM, other than their administrative duty to hire/fire the CEO. So one could say they could put pressure on Birch, but I think he should be aware that his future is dictated by the performance of the team.
I have no idea as to how they measure that performance (profit v wins/losses).
I am as frustrated as many of you are with the current state of the franchise, but we also have to be careful what we wish for. What if the team was privatized and another Burgess steps up to buy it as a toy for his up and coming 15 year old?
I do yearn for those good old days. Watched some of those teams on Rogers over the holidays where our 3rd line would crush today's second line. Don't know where we went wrong - just hope we don't stay lost for long!!

 

[GeoBlue]

New to the Forum. Been a reader for a while. Enjoy the banter. As a STH and knowing some of the current/past directors, I wanted to try to clarify a couple of things.
The 38 'Directors' are for the most part glorified volunteers. Those same Directors are the people you see selling 50/50 tickets, programs, jersey raffles and any special events the Rangers run. It's one of the reasons I never ran, because I enjoy (enjoyed) watching the games and didn't want to have to give that up. The Directors are elected each year at the Annual Meeting. Mostly a popularity contest.
There is a Board that is elected out of those 38 Directors. There are around 10-12 people on that Board. It is supposed to be an Administrative Board, meaning that it has no direct imput or direction on the Operations of the club. So we can't expect the Board to do anything with respect to the Coach and/or GM, other than their administrative duty to hire/fire the CEO. So one could say they could put pressure on Birch, but I think he should be aware that his future is dictated by the performance of the team.
I have no idea as to how they measure that performance (profit v wins/losses).
I am as frustrated as many of you are with the current state of the franchise, but we also have to be careful what we wish for. What if the team was privatized and another Burgess steps up to buy it as a toy for his up and coming 15 year old?
I do yearn for those good old days. Watched some of those teams on Rogers over the holidays where our 3rd line would crush today's second line. Don't know where we went wrong - just hope we don't stay lost for long!!

I don't think the primary wish is for the Board of Directors to change as the wish for the mandate to change. Focus on building a winning club rather than profits.

 

[TheBlueMonster]

I don't think the primary wish is for the Board of Directors to change as the wish for the mandate to change. Focus on building a winning club rather than profits.

This!

Putting the right people in place to make the right decisions.

 

[Habsrule]

Who do you guys figure will be back next year as the three overages?

Pinelli - he will be AHL bound. No chance he returns.

Arcuri - I am guessing that he will be AHL bound only because of his 23 goals in 29 games for Kingston before getting traded to the Rangers. He is not much over a point per game forward so isn’t exactly dominating. Dallas drafted him.

Zhilkin - he falls in the Arcuri category where he was drafted by Winnipeg and is at around point per game. He could grow his offensive game one more year but his strength is his two way play.

Schmidt - he has been NHL drafted as well but I can’t see Tampa wanting him in the AHL yet. Other than his size he has no professional qualities. If you can’t dominate in the AHL then you are not AHL ready. He just needs a mean streak to get him to the next level.

Martin - has the size and is a point per game player. Not draft so I assume he is a front runner to be back.

Motew - I am guessing that he will be back next season. He has stepped up this year and could wear the C next year would be my guess.

Sop - he has been my best surprise this year. He has improved a lot since last year and if none of the drafted forwards return he may be back.

Hollett - no chance he is back.



I’ll throw a bonus and ask if you think Mesar will be back. He is eligible to play in the AHL being drafted out of Europe. He almost made the AHL out of training camp and I am guessing that the Canadiens will keep him in the AHL next year to play with more skilled players.


My guess is Schmidt, Motew and Martin are back.

 

[TheBlueMonster]

Who do you guys figure will be back next year as the three overages?

Pinelli - he will be AHL bound. No chance he returns.

Arcuri - I am guessing that he will be AHL bound only because of his 23 goals in 29 games for Kingston before getting traded to the Rangers. He is not much over a point per game forward so isn’t exactly dominating. Dallas drafted him.

Zhilkin - he falls in the Arcuri category where he was drafted by Winnipeg and is at around point per game. He could grow his offensive game one more year but his strength is his two way play.

Schmidt - he has been NHL drafted as well but I can’t see Tampa wanting him in the AHL yet. Other than his size he has no professional qualities. If you can’t dominate in the AHL then you are not AHL ready. He just needs a mean streak to get him to the next level.

Martin - has the size and is a point per game player. Not draft so I assume he is a front runner to be back.

Motew - I am guessing that he will be back next season. He has stepped up this year and could wear the C next year would be my guess.

Sop - he has been my best surprise this year. He has improved a lot since last year and if none of the drafted forwards return he may be back.

Hollett - no chance he is back.



I’ll throw a bonus and ask if you think Mesar will be back. He is eligible to play in the AHL being drafted out of Europe. He almost made the AHL out of training camp and I am guessing that the Canadiens will keep him in the AHL next year to play with more skilled players.


My guess is Schmidt, Motew and Martin are back.

If Schmidt is back, his ELC doesn't slide because of when he signed it so he'd actually burn the 1st year of his ELC if hes back. It's a stupid rule that the agreement needs to fix. So I think he's as good as gone. I do agree with the no professional qualities but tampa has used the ECHL nicely over the last decade. I am sure they don't hate him there.


Zhilkin, Arcuri, Pinelli all gone.

Martin should be back but I could see him getting an AHL offer. He's bulked up, his skating has improved, he could be ready to take a step but we've seen players with similar or better skill set pass up on the AHL deal to return to the OHL and earn the ELC as a dominant OverAge player.

Sop should return. He's a local. He's improved. Teams not making the playoffs next year or will be an 8th place team (weird how we could be in the same position this time next year with a roster who has nothing on it) no offence to the team but its going to be a rough season. Just let him finish his career at home if he desires. He's a prime USPORTS type of player 2 years from now.

Motew is a weird one. He's been great. Teams best defencemen potentially. I'd see what the market is for him in the summer this year. Theres always a team that adds a Motew type of OA in the summer to get ahead of the market. But my guess is he'd be back as well.

I like Hollett, guy works hard. Understands his role and he at least tries to adapt. He can have a bit of a mean side if the moment calls for it. Limited offense however. He seams like a guy who'll be here during the preseason but maybe he ends up in the Q. Gatineau which is near his home isn't looking good next year and they love to pluck from the OHL so maybe he ends up there to finish his career.


Ill be honest, I can't imagine Ottawa or Montreal will want Hamara or Mesar back here next year.

They both are AHL eligible. Mesar is more prime. Undersized yes but the speed is there and he can interject himself into Montreal systems right away.

Hamara might be back but again, I can't imagine the NHL teams are too happy with how they've turned out here and some of it is on the players but alot of it is on the systems that fail them game in and game out.

Pinelli, Arcuri, Zhilkin, Valade, Moore, Constantini, Schmidt, Hamara, Mesar, Hollet all could be gone. Very likely they are all gone.

 

[bobber]

New to the Forum. Been a reader for a while. Enjoy the banter. As a STH and knowing some of the current/past directors, I wanted to try to clarify a couple of things.
The 38 'Directors' are for the most part glorified volunteers. Those same Directors are the people you see selling 50/50 tickets, programs, jersey raffles and any special events the Rangers run. It's one of the reasons I never ran, because I enjoy (enjoyed) watching the games and didn't want to have to give that up. The Directors are elected each year at the Annual Meeting. Mostly a popularity contest.
There is a Board that is elected out of those 38 Directors. There are around 10-12 people on that Board. It is supposed to be an Administrative Board, meaning that it has no direct imput or direction on the Operations of the club. So we can't expect the Board to do anything with respect to the Coach and/or GM, other than their administrative duty to hire/fire the CEO. So one could say they could put pressure on Birch, but I think he should be aware that his future is dictated by the performance of the team.
I have no idea as to how they measure that performance (profit v wins/losses).
I am as frustrated as many of you are with the current state of the franchise, but we also have to be careful what we wish for. What if the team was privatized and another Burgess steps up to buy it as a toy for his up and coming 15 year old?
I do yearn for those good old days. Watched some of those teams on Rogers over the holidays where our 3rd line would crush today's second line. Don't know where we went wrong - just hope we don't stay lost for long!!

I worked with some of the directors over the years. We bought walk ups for years and had seasons tickets for 20 or so. I don't think the community owned thing would even come up if the powers could put a half decent competitive team out there every year. The Attack are a small market team. Yet they do put a decent product on the ice almost every year that gives opposing teams a challenge in their barn. I think there has to be a way to change whatever the prototype is for what the scouting staff here thinks is a solid OHL player. They do get a few skilled players here but also a lot of the cookie cutter type.

 

[Rangers2022]

Again last night, just like all season, we saw 2 or 3 spectators just standing around watching the opponent score, without even the slightest attempt to be physical or accountable to their goalie. Of all the issues facing this team - disorganization, low work ethic, low IQ - I still think softness is the biggest one. Opponents have zero fear playing this team.

I thought we started last nights game really good but once Sarnia started the heavy hitting we started to
lay back, you could really see it. And even the other fans around me said the same thing. The officiating let Sarnia
get away with stuff that I thought should have been penalties. But yes we our too soft & other teams know this.

 

[rangersblues]

I thought we started last nights game really good but once Sarnia started the heavy hitting we started to
lay back, you could really see it. And even the other fans around me said the same thing. The officiating let Sarnia
get away with stuff that I thought should have been penalties. But yes we our too soft & other teams know this.

I missed the first period. I'll say with about 6 or 7 minutes left in the game, I thought Constantini could easily have been 2nd star. He was the only guy keeping the Rangers in the game the last 2 periods.

 

[Millpond]

Just thinking about the Rangers being involved with PC Childrens Charity. Don't we all give to that every week shopping at Zehrs. Galen Weston JR. was put in a pillory on This Hour Has 22 Minutes. You would think he could give a little more with all the profits he makes on 20 dollar cabbages.


Updates , we all see things through our rose coloured glasses.

Galen Weston , the inventor of $20 loaves of bread. $10 from every loaf goes towards sending Galen on a 2 minute ride into orbit on a Space-ex

 

[RayzorIsDull]

Just thinking about the Rangers being involved with PC Childrens Charity. Don't we all give to that every week shopping at Zehrs. Galen Weston JR. was put in a pillory on This Hour Has 22 Minutes. You would think he could give a little more with all the profits he makes on 20 dollar cabbages.


Updates , we all see things through our rose coloured glasses.

You're not a fan of 37 dollar chicken breasts? Your loss.....

 

[bobber]

You're not a fan of 37 dollar chicken breasts? Your loss.....

Galen Weston Jr. sold me a field full of pumpkins once. It was the year they cancelled Halloween. He had some sort of inside info like the Hunters have in the OHL!

 

[Coaches Coroner]

Two things winning teams has....structure and discipline.

I suspect off-ice discipline has also been very poor with this organization for a long time.

 

[bobber]

Looking ahead at this years upcoming draft I hope the Ranger scouts get it right with 2 first round picks. Glossing through the draft thread below some are saying there is only one decent defenseman worthy of first round consideration. Some talented Ontario forwards there. Hopefully the Rangers find a couple of players willing to report here after the draft. If you look at the 2006 rookies playing this season that were drafted after the Rangers picked they missed the boat on these kids. Save the flyers for later rounds and get some solid rookies in here. It's seems to have become a gamble taking US players now. Some great developmental hockey programs in the US that keep these players in their home country.

 

[RangerNation]

Looking ahead at this years upcoming draft I hope the Ranger scouts get it right with 2 first round picks. Glossing through the draft thread below some are saying there is only one decent defenseman worthy of first round consideration. Some talented Ontario forwards there. Hopefully the Rangers find a couple of players willing to report here after the draft. If you look at the 2006 rookies playing this season that were drafted after the Rangers picked they missed the boat on these kids. Save the flyers for later rounds and get some solid rookies in here. It's seems to have become a gamble taking US players now. Some great developmental hockey programs in the US that keep these players in their home country.

Our scouts look at the amateur report list of who is good and pick the next available. There will be nothing creative. 'Best available player' has been the MO for years, and I bet my years salary on MM sticking to that plan.