Kitchener Rangers 2022-23 Season Thread (Part 3)

[rangersblues]

The number of returnees from last year's squad was significant....

I believe the talent is there. Not 100% sure if the line-up is truly built for the playoffs, but could be proven wrong. Regardless, this is a much better team than last year and should be doing better.....way better.

What everyone seems to forget is last year it was a 7th place team that upset a vulnerable London team with an injured goalie, little scoring depth whose top scorer couldn't buy a goal.

Agree Petizian was the heart and soul. We could really use that right now.

 

[Tim Wallach]

Spott took over and instituted the country club atmosphere, and woefully bad coaching decisions that get doubled down on. He's coasted a long way on Deboer's coat tails and is another example of Rangers staff failing upward post-Deboer.

100%.

In the whole scheme of things, I put a lot of blame on Spott. He saw the Deboer blueprint first hand and instantly changed everything. Honest, accountable efforts were everything to Deboer. Spott went straight to the country club approach and it changed this team forever.

 

[bobber]

100%.

In the whole scheme of things, I put a lot of blame on Spott. He saw the Deboer blueprint first hand and instantly changed everything. Honest, accountable efforts were everything to Deboer. Spott went straight to the country club approach and it changed this team forever.

Spott drank the coolaid. Made the decision to take 2nd round ranked players in the 1st round so they would be around longer.

 

[bobber]

What everyone seems to forget is last year it was a 7th place team that upset a vulnerable London team with an injured goalie, little scoring depth whose top scorer couldn't buy a goal.

Agree Petizian was the heart and soul. We could really use that right now.

Rangers lived and died on Petizian scoring timely goals and Cajan stealing games by himself. Think the Rangers had 67 points. This is the team that carried into this season that some thought would rise up to contend. Personally I never had much faith in the defense because they play a soft game. Just my opinion.

 

[Purple Phart]

100%.

In the whole scheme of things, I put a lot of blame on Spott. He saw the Deboer blueprint first hand and instantly changed everything. Honest, accountable efforts were everything to Deboer. Spott went straight to the country club approach and it changed this team forever.

From an outsider's perspective, I believe that there was a specific incident that changed Spott's M/O. That was the Ben Fanelli injury. Spott was never the same coach, following that, and his reluctance to play a tough-as-nails style rubbed off on his players and begat the "country club atmosphere" that some have referred to.

Case in point: When he was selected as Head Coach of Team Canada, he had access to the best available players that the CHL had to offer. Unfortunately, that edition of Team Canada proved to quite a disappointment, and he did take some heat for that outcome. Canada has always had players who can and do play that tough, physical, intimidating style. If that year's team had players of that ilk, it never became apparent, and may have been also reflective of a coaching bias.

 

[EvenSteven]

From an outsider's perspective, I believe that there was a specific incident that changed Spott's M/O. That was the Ben Fanelli injury. Spott was never the same coach, following that, and his reluctance to play a tough-as-nails style rubbed off on his players and begat the "country club atmosphere" that some have referred to.

Case in point: When he was selected as Head Coach of Team Canada, he had access to the best available players that the CHL had to offer. Unfortunately, that edition of Team Canada proved to quite a disappointment, and he did take some heat for that outcome. Canada has always had players who can and do play that tough, physical, intimidating style. If that year's team had players of that ilk, it never became apparent, and may have been also reflective of a coaching bias.

From an outsider's perspective, I believe that there was a specific incident that changed Spott's M/O. That was the Ben Fanelli injury. Spott was never the same coach, following that, and his reluctance to play a tough-as-nails style rubbed off on his players and begat the "country club atmosphere" that some have referred to.

Case in point: When he was selected as Head Coach of Team Canada, he had access to the best available players that the CHL had to offer. Unfortunately, that edition of Team Canada proved to quite a disappointment, and he did take some heat for that outcome. Canada has always had players who can and do play that tough, physical, intimidating style. If that year's team had players of that ilk, it never became apparent, and may have been also reflective of a coaching bias.

Bingo. That and one other incident were his “come to Jesus” moments.

Don Sanderson. Former Ranger draftee who was killed playing senior hockey that year.

At the end of the Ranger season that year, Spott was a guest on a local daytime radio show. During that show there was a call-in segment. One of the callers on a segment basically gave it to spot about violence in hockey,etc,etc, and said “it’s because of people like you that Don Sanderson is dead today”.

I’ll never forget it. And just by listening on the radio you could tell Spott was stunned because of the silence and they quickly cut to commercial. I wasn’t a big Spott fan. But that was uncalled for and was not fair to him.

The Ben Fanelli incident and that phone call changed Spott. No more guided missel type players on the team. No more Mike Duco’s. No more Mike Mascioli’s.

From then on, the Rangers would be the team that took the high road. Enter the “play clean and let the refs put us on the PP” game plan.

 

[EvenSteven]

I’m nauseated that Pope would suggest fans are just ranting without evidence that Dennis is a bad coach. He is watching this and can’t see the obvious stuff that points to coaching? Here Chris:

- players constantly grouped on one area of the ice
- constant solo dashes, trying to beat multiple defenders with no puck support
- forcing the puck up the strong side with zero reads of the coverage
- a team that comes out flat and with zero jump for every single period of every game
- a reactive, stick check based defence that repeatedly allows toe drags and cuts to beat them
- defenders standing beside their checks several times a game watching them get multiple rebounds and easy, unchallenged goals
- about six thousand careless passes into coverage (often on the opponent’s tape) per game

I could go on, but the broadcasters have a job because of the fans. They need to stop insulting our intelligence by calling us out for having opinions that are quite clearly sound.

If there was a way to click on more than just “Like”, I wish I knew for posts like this.

Thanks for this post.

 

[EvenSteven]

Prior to hiring Andreas Karlsson in the 2017/2018 season MM offered the vacant associate coach position to Chris Dennis who was the head coach at York University at the time. Ultimately CD took a role as an assistant coach with the Chicago Wolves for the 2017/2018 season.
Andreas Karlsson served as an assistant coach to CD at York at the time and when CD turned down MM’s offer to take the job in Chicago he gave Karlsson a glowing recommendation to MM and was ultimately hired for the role MM had initially offered to CD.

Chris Dennis has been on MM’s radar for a long time.

This is why I think he sticks with Dennis.
He been all in on him for a while. He doesn’t want to go behind the bench himself. He’s going to allow him to get things righted now that we have as close to a full lineup as we’ve had this year.

Like Moore said, the trade deadline just happened. MM believes the chemistry will come.

There’s more to gain on a personal level if he keeps Dennis in place and they turn this thing around and go deep in the playoffs. If that happens, MM looks like a genius. He’d have made the right hire. The right trades.

If he fires the coach now, then boom. He was wrong on the hire period. It may be viewed as an easy way out. That would be a black mark on the resume.

I think he’s going to gamble on this thing turning around.

Prediction: No firing.

 

[EvenSteven]

How I miss the Deboer and Spott days. The 2003 team will always be my top Rangers memory. It is not because they won the Memorial Cup but it is because they had a great team and were fun to watch.

In his second year in Kitchener they won the Memorial Cup but he made a bunch of great moves. I will say though that they were very fortunate or smart you can say to take over a team with a great young core; Roy, Eminger, Benoit, Ramsey, Smith, Dickie all as 16 and 17 year olds. I remember the first move they did was bringing in Policelli. He was one mean tough SOB to play against. He really set the tone for the team. That first season they bring Kanko over as an import and traded for Keefe. That season they were 35-22-10 on the year. They were good but it was the next year that it all counted.

Heading into their Mem Cup season they had a great core but every single player had one thing in common; they all hustled and played hard. When the best players on the team are all hard workers it sets the tone for any new players to the team. First move of that season was trading fan favourite Ramsey who had two years left for one year of Campbell. I remember fans not liking that one at the time. They bring in Clarkson and O’Nabigon during the season. Eason was in his second year and Harrison made an impact as a rookie defenceman.

Clarkson - Roy - Campbell
O’Nabigon - Richards - Kanko

Bottom 6 consisting of;

McGrath, Martynowski, McCaffrey, Grennier, McFarland, Keefe,

Eminger - Smith
Halkidis- Eason
Manias - Harrison
Duff

That was one hell of a tough team to play against.

Often overlooked was the fact that Jamie McDonald was responsible for the nucleus of that team.

He was responsible for the drafting of Roy, Richards, Dickie, Benoit, Harrison, and Eminger.

He was the guy who pulled the trigger on the trades that brought in Ramsay, Eason and Smith.

He did good work here. As a GM, his drafting was no worse than DeBoer’s and miles ahead of anyone else we’ve had up to MM. MM’s drafting has been ok. The jury may still be out on him.

Is McDonald still involved in hockey anywhere?

 

[bobber]

Part of some Rangers stuff Brown mentions: Cutter Gauthier to the OHL? Landing the fifth overall pick in last year’s NHL draft would certainly be a game-changer for Kitchener at this time of the season. While the Rangers own his junior rights, the window to add him is closing fast. Players from other leagues, such as the NCAA or Europe, can’t play any games for their current team past Jan. 10 and then have to be released in order to jump ship. OHL clubs have until Feb. 10 to sign players who fall into that category.

- Gauthier hasn’t played a game for Boston College past Jan. 10 yet but the Eagles are slated to play Saturday against Sacred Heart. As soon as he hits the ice, there is no way he can come to the OHL this season. Same goes for all the other Rangers prospects currently playing in the NCAA or elsewhere.

 

[EvenSteven]

What everyone seems to forget is last year it was a 7th place team that upset a vulnerable London team with an injured goalie, little scoring depth whose top scorer couldn't buy a goal.

Agree Petizian was the heart and soul. We could really use that right now.

What I seem to remember is that even before the Brochu injury, he had little success vs the Rangers. That was the reason I predicted we’d beat them in the post season.

Couple that with the likes of Evangelista and Stranges being more interested in trying dipsy doodle plays between the leg toe drag shots instead of actually playing the game the right way, and the Knights were a great matchup for the Rangers last year.

 

[TheBlueMonster]

Part of some Rangers stuff Brown mentions: Cutter Gauthier to the OHL? Landing the fifth overall pick in last year’s NHL draft would certainly be a game-changer for Kitchener at this time of the season. While the Rangers own his junior rights, the window to add him is closing fast. Players from other leagues, such as the NCAA or Europe, can’t play any games for their current team past Jan. 10 and then have to be released in order to jump ship. OHL clubs have until Feb. 10 to sign players who fall into that category.

- Gauthier hasn’t played a game for Boston College past Jan. 10 yet but the Eagles are slated to play Saturday against Sacred Heart. As soon as he hits the ice, there is no way he can come to the OHL this season. Same goes for all the other Rangers prospects currently playing in the NCAA or elsewhere.

I know Cutter did play yesterday against Sacred Heart.

I think the ship sailed on him a while ago. There was some rumors about him wanting to come but considering he's likely going to make the Flyers roster next year, he's probably fine staying where he is.

 

[EvenSteven]

Part of some Rangers stuff Brown mentions: Cutter Gauthier to the OHL? Landing the fifth overall pick in last year’s NHL draft would certainly be a game-changer for Kitchener at this time of the season. While the Rangers own his junior rights, the window to add him is closing fast. Players from other leagues, such as the NCAA or Europe, can’t play any games for their current team past Jan. 10 and then have to be released in order to jump ship. OHL clubs have until Feb. 10 to sign players who fall into that category.

- Gauthier hasn’t played a game for Boston College past Jan. 10 yet but the Eagles are slated to play Saturday against Sacred Heart. As soon as he hits the ice, there is no way he can come to the OHL this season. Same goes for all the other Rangers prospects currently playing in the NCAA or elsewhere.

Fingers crossed, but I’m not holding my breath.

 

[bobber]

I know Cutter did play yesterday against Sacred Heart.

I think the ship sailed on him a while ago. There was some rumors about him wanting to come but considering he's likely going to make the Flyers roster next year, he's probably fine staying where he is.

I think so. It doesn't seem as though the Americans being drafted by OHL teams are as eager to come here as they once were. Many NHL players come out of the US college ranks. They all strive to become pro hockey players and US colleges are heavily scouted. Not sure they would be developed properly here in Kitchener at this point in time. I doubt many US drafted players give the Rangers a passing thought unless they are sitting on a bench not getting any ice at all.

 

[EvenSteven]

I think so. It doesn't seem as though the Americans being drafted OHL teams are as eager to come here as they once were. Many NHL players come out of the US college ranks. They all strive to become pro hockey players and US colleges are heavily scouted. Not sure they would be developed properly here in Kitchener at this point in time. I doubt many US drafted players give the Rangers a passing thought unless they are sitting on a bench not getting any ice at all.

Gauthier is probably going to the show or AHL at worst when his NCAA season is done. No need to come here to get the extra games.

Also, if he were to read this board, there’s reason enough to avoid coming here as well. To an outsider, we have quite the gong show going on here this year.

 

[bobber]

From an outsider's perspective, I believe that there was a specific incident that changed Spott's M/O. That was the Ben Fanelli injury. Spott was never the same coach, following that, and his reluctance to play a tough-as-nails style rubbed off on his players and begat the "country club atmosphere" that some have referred to.

Case in point: When he was selected as Head Coach of Team Canada, he had access to the best available players that the CHL had to offer. Unfortunately, that edition of Team Canada proved to quite a disappointment, and he did take some heat for that outcome. Canada has always had players who can and do play that tough, physical, intimidating style. If that year's team had players of that ilk, it never became apparent, and may have been also reflective of a coaching bias.

We all know Spott rode on Deboer's coat tail. I think he still does. Being Deboer's assistant coach gave some people including Ranger fans a false sense that whatever Deboer was doing right would continue. Not. We even thought the same with Smith. He played for Deboer in Plymouth. Knew his system and what was expected as a player. Smith did say something to the effect he was going to coach a different style. Ended up selling used cars or something. The elephant in the room here is the community owned team and the directors. They look at the full house and use that as a measure of success when compared to a bunch of other franchises with poor attendance. I think they brought Deboer in and payed him a ransom because the seats were going empty. Doing the wave does look great on TV when you have a huge crowd and half are full of 10 buck beer.

 

[bobber]

Gauthier is probably going to the show or AHL at worst when his NCAA season is done. No need to come here to get the extra games.

Also, if he were to read this board, there’s reason enough to avoid coming here as well. To an outsider, we have quite the gong show going on here this year.

Wouldn't you feel better if the coaches all wore those red rubber noses?

 

[TheBlueMonster]

I was talking to a Kingston fan last night and even he mentioned that this team just doesn't have any IT factor at all.


Full disclosure, I think we could have come back and won that game Friday but not as a team. Our best chances came from individuals selfishly (And rightfully so) driving the net on their own. Zhilkin, Arcuri and Pinelli all had chances on their own late in the game. Arcuri and Pinelli you can tell are hungry. Zhilkin to. But these guys are taking matters into their own hands because the game plan isn't working and they see that. Moore can say what he wants about the room. We're not blind however, they've tuned the coaches out.

And these guys are forced to play like that because there is no system for them to play in. I remember watching a game last week and Dennis was drawing up a play and Rehkopf was shaking his head and laughing, that was the play Kitchener immediately failed to get possession and iced the puck thus giving any chance.

If your Cutter Gauthier or Longacre or anybody drafted, you're not jumping into this lol.

 

[RangerNation]

What agent is telling Cutter to drop it all to come here right now? Actually what agent for any drafted players is saying this? Until Dennis rights this ship, there's no evidence he is a coach that can develop players.

 

[Jives]

So just to confirm. As Cutter played last night there is 0% chance he can play for the Rangers this year? And basically all players as they would of played since Jan 10.

 

[Tim Wallach]

If there was a way to click on more than just “Like”, I wish I knew for posts like this.

Thanks for this post.

Thanks Even. Just had to vent.

 

[bobber]

I was talking to a Kingston fan last night and even he mentioned that this team just doesn't have any IT factor at all.


Full disclosure, I think we could have come back and won that game Friday but not as a team. Our best chances came from individuals selfishly (And rightfully so) driving the net on their own. Zhilkin, Arcuri and Pinelli all had chances on their own late in the game. Arcuri and Pinelli you can tell are hungry. Zhilkin to. But these guys are taking matters into their own hands because the game plan isn't working and they see that. Moore can say what he wants about the room. We're not blind however, they've tuned the coaches out.

And these guys are forced to play like that because there is no system for them to play in. I remember watching a game last week and Dennis was drawing up a play and Rehkopf was shaking his head and laughing, that was the play Kitchener immediately failed to get possession and iced the puck thus giving any chance.

If your Cutter Gauthier or Longacre or anybody drafted, you're not jumping into this lol.

Makes one think of Bedard in the World Juniors. Decided know one else was doing it so he went for it himself. Worked out. I think Moore had to say something positive. These are young men and they want what's best for their group despite the short comings of the coaching staff. The question has to be asked. Do the assistant coaches not have any input in the system Dennis has devised if you can call it that? Wideman at the very least played in the NHL and was a defenseman on the Knights in the OHL. He has to see flaws in what is happening here. Methot could see it in the Oshawa game and made comments on it. Rangers have some fairly high end skilled forwards that should be giving other teams fits. They should be able to put a line together that is a threat every time the step on the ice IMO. It's obvious that there is something happening behind the scenes here that is being ignored by MM. He has to step up. If he is as some think a good coach why hasn't he interfered at practice and helped correct the issues? It is confusing as hell.

 

[Tim Wallach]

From an outsider's perspective, I believe that there was a specific incident that changed Spott's M/O. That was the Ben Fanelli injury. Spott was never the same coach, following that, and his reluctance to play a tough-as-nails style rubbed off on his players and begat the "country club atmosphere" that some have referred to.

Case in point: When he was selected as Head Coach of Team Canada, he had access to the best available players that the CHL had to offer. Unfortunately, that edition of Team Canada proved to quite a disappointment, and he did take some heat for that outcome. Canada has always had players who can and do play that tough, physical, intimidating style. If that year's team had players of that ilk, it never became apparent, and may have been also reflective of a coaching bias.

This was definitely a factor for sure. But also I think an excuse for him. Because on a pure hockey basis, he demonstrated time and again he didn’t have the tactics either. He was no Deboer, Fanelli incident or not.

 

[EvenSteven]

I was talking to a Kingston fan last night and even he mentioned that this team just doesn't have any IT factor at all.


Full disclosure, I think we could have come back and won that game Friday but not as a team. Our best chances came from individuals selfishly (And rightfully so) driving the net on their own. Zhilkin, Arcuri and Pinelli all had chances on their own late in the game. Arcuri and Pinelli you can tell are hungry. Zhilkin to. But these guys are taking matters into their own hands because the game plan isn't working and they see that. Moore can say what he wants about the room. We're not blind however, they've tuned the coaches out.

And these guys are forced to play like that because there is no system for them to play in. I remember watching a game last week and Dennis was drawing up a play and Rehkopf was shaking his head and laughing, that was the play Kitchener immediately failed to get possession and iced the puck thus giving any chance.

If your Cutter Gauthier or Longacre or anybody drafted, you're not jumping into this lol.

At least we were getting our chances. That’s a good sign. Three posts and two or three missed wide open nets is a positive - and the difference in the game.

Had we not generated any chances, I’d be a lot more worried.

 

[TheBlueMonster]

We've got Saginaw tonight. Again this stretch coming now is going to be tough but there is no reason why the Rangers can't start this game ontime, put in a full 60 minute effort.

Saginaw played last night in a fairly tight game with Windsor. Playing a game a little less than 24 hours later is no fun, let alone during NFL playoffs lol.

A loss tonight in any form continues to set them back. These games in hand don't matter if you can only put together a clean streak twice a season.

Saginaw did sell at the deadline but still maintain a top spot league wide. That is still a very good team. A very well coached team.

Chris Dennis is running out of excuses. You can hear it in his interviews. He wants to start getting some good graces with the fans then at minimum and the bar is so low because, well he sucks....is to win today and win 5-6 of the next 10. And to do that again and again. This team can not afford to go 4-6 or 3-7 out of every 10.

Turn the page today.

A loss, and I'm not sold on 8th place anymore. The SOO is bad, but can't keep digging the hole deeper.