Kitchener Rangers 2022-23 Season Thread

[Gondrex]

I don’t think prices on stud D are going to go down any the closer we get to the deadline.

Don’t be surprised if MM explores an OA D. He’s shown in the past that he isn’t above moving out a quality OA to address needs. Garreffa would have been a quality OA here but he saw a need and addressed it bringing in Hawel and moving out Garreffa.

For example, moving out the currently underachieving Serpa, in favour of a top OA D, wouldn’t be totally surprising.

It is certainly is possible that we find out that the asking price is no cheaper at the deadline than it is now. Unfortunately we won't know what that price is until then. It will be determined by supply and demand for the most part, along with how willing the sellers are to part with players that they weren't necessarily planning on unloading, but are being sought after.

Currently, what we do know is:
- The price is very high........
- ........mainly because the supply is very low (perhaps obvious - only a team or two at the most know they are not contending. All other teams are likely willing to see how the first half plays out before determining where they stand).

I personally lean towards seeing how things pan out closer to the deadline, but that's only me....and I certainly have lot more confidence in MM's decision-making / asset-managing capability than my own .

Upgrading an OA is certainly possible. That scenario may boil down to how much of your assets are available to spend on the desired / required non-OA pieces....i.e. seeing how much is left in the bank. Again though, MM could surprise. He knows the market way better than me.

 

[EvenSteven]

He brought in Hawel because Gareffa made it clear he was doing everything he could to make pro, even considering ECHL iirc. He was only moved out because he wasn't expected back, and when he returned to the OHL we had too many OAs.

Thanks for refreshing my memory!

 

[Tim Wallach]

I think this team has some calls to make. Going forward, you can’t waste as many spots as they are on unproductive forwards who aren’t specialists at anything. So older ones like Fishman and Sop particularly come on the radar.

 

[TheBlueMonster]

I think this team has some calls to make. Going forward, you can’t waste as many spots as they are on unproductive forwards who aren’t specialists at anything. So older ones like Fishman and Sop particularly come on the radar.

I think Sop has been better. And on nights where the team packs it in I usually see him trying more then others but certainly an area to upgrade.

I also think its a problem when you continually can't play a full 60 minutes. One player that is on my last nerve is Schmidt. Doesn't use his size at all. Always getting beaten wide and in tight. Doesn't produce as much offense as I'd like to see.

Today's game VS Erie was frustrating. Its not over yet but to blow a 3-1 lead and stop skating against a team playing their 3rd in 3.

I know we all got excited by the 4 wins. But the bad habits of that 0-5 team are still there.

EDIT TO ADD: I would have like to have seen Scott played for more then what 4 mins maybe?

 

[Tim Wallach]

I think Sop has been better. And on nights where the team packs it in I usually see him trying more then others but certainly an area to upgrade.

I also think its a problem when you continually can't play a full 60 minutes. One player that is on my last nerve is Schmidt. Doesn't use his size at all. Always getting beaten wide and in tight. Doesn't produce as much offense as I'd like to see.

Today's game VS Erie was frustrating. Its not over yet but to blow a 3-1 lead and stop skating against a team playing their 3rd in 3.

I know we all got excited by the 4 wins. But the bad habits of that 0-5 team are still there.

EDIT TO ADD: I would have like to have seen Scott played for more then what 4 mins maybe?

Schmidt has been very frustrating all year but today has been mailing it in.

I would also think Kitchener has to be the worst puck managing team in the league. Serpa and Pinelli each have double digits per game, often inexcusable.

There is just so much lacking from this team in terms of effort, skill, IQ, etc, that I’m not sure it’s fixable. I don’t see any strides being made over the last few years. Today’s game is just another where they clearly got out worked. And by a team on their 3rd in 2.5.

Country club needs to end.

 

[GeoBlue]

I think Sop has been better. And on nights where the team packs it in I usually see him trying more then others but certainly an area to upgrade.

I also think its a problem when you continually can't play a full 60 minutes. One player that is on my last nerve is Schmidt. Doesn't use his size at all. Always getting beaten wide and in tight. Doesn't produce as much offense as I'd like to see.

Today's game VS Erie was frustrating. Its not over yet but to blow a 3-1 lead and stop skating against a team playing their 3rd in 3.

I know we all got excited by the 4 wins. But the bad habits of that 0-5 team are still there.

EDIT TO ADD: I would have like to have seen Scott played for more then what 4 mins maybe?

Agree that Sop is the least of our problems. I've come to really like him, actually. Though not a star on the team, at least he is consistent, and always seems to go into a scrum and come out with the puck. Just an observation.

Yes, after today's game, I am getting some deja vu. This team is seriously broken. We have a coach that has a video background, well, could it not be more obvious, then? Look at the videos! Team seems slow, makes blind passes, stays way from open ice when they have the puck and would rather stake towards an area where there are 4 or 5 opposition players gathered.

And I would sure like to know why the Rangers called a time out with a 3-1 lead??????????? We seemed to have the game under control up to that point and it was after that that things unraveled. Why? Did Dennis want to tell them to stop skating as there was not enough of a challenge for them?

 

[Rangers True Blue]

Valade takes an absolutely unwarranted and stupid penalty and now he's out for a minimum of 2 games (3 counting today). Going into the 3rd, did no one on the Rangers realize and then communicate that Erie came from behind in the 3rd against Windsor the day before?? Wheels fell off today and you can only blame the flu for so much...

 

[robertmac43]

Embarrassing third period from us today, my goodness.

 

[Coaches Coroner]

Maybe they need a curfew until they can play 60 minutes consistently. Not that I have any inside knowledge of this particular group, but there's always a chance they organization isn't super strict with players off ice routines and that these guys are having a little too much "fun" off the ice affecting their focus.

 

[rangersblues]

Schmidt has been very frustrating all year but today has been mailing it in.

I would also think Kitchener has to be the worst puck managing team in the league. Serpa and Pinelli each have double digits per game, often inexcusable.

There is just so much lacking from this team in terms of effort, skill, IQ, etc, that I’m not sure it’s fixable. I don’t see any strides being made over the last few years. Today’s game is just another where they clearly got out worked. And by a team on their 3rd in 2.5.

Country club needs to end.

There's something inherently wrong with the structure of the way this club is run. It's supposedly a flagship franchise. Yet over 60 years there's only been a few periods of sustained success. The first few years in the 60s under pro sponsorship, a couple of years in the 70s under Eddie Bush that were short lived, the early 80s under Orv Tessier, Joe Crozier and Tom Barrett. And of course the DeBoer era. Other than that it's been a gong show with very little player development for the most part.

 

[bobber]

The Rangers are not a blue-collar team by any stretch of the imagination. Who amongst them strikes fear in the hearts of the opposition? Years ago, when players were drafted, they always had a player or two that were described as a "bull in a China shop". Like a Duco. Fans seem to shy away from the tough hard to play against players. The scouts are not looking for these types anymore. Presently the Rangers really have no players that throw hits or get into scraps to spark the team and put a fire in their bellies. Look at the standings. Rangers aren't even in a playoff position at the moment. The top two lines are not playing defense and the bottom lines have zero points. Not a great recipe for success. Little bit of a vent. We are starting to sound like Leaf Fans.

 

[Gondrex]

I agree with most in saying that one should wait until around the end of October before getting a true feel for how the team has come together and its potential the rest of the way. Well, we're pretty much there, and things aren't looking so great.

Prior to the start of the season, there was an OHL Prediction thread on the HF board. A number of league fans took a stab at it. There was actually one fan who had the nerve to put the Rangers in 7th in the conference. I pointed out that this team should start strong out of the gate since they had lost only (4) players from the '21-'22 season, and they had added two promising defensemen (Hamara and Brzustewicz), and there was still an outside chance to bring in Mesar. An older team, along with some very promising additions, I had predicted a 3rd to 5th finish (conservatively), and challenging for first with a couple of tweaks. Man did I ever embarrass myself....egg all over my face. The guy who predicted the 7th place finish may actually end up being optimistic.

That 4-game winning streak may have felt like the team was finally on track, but I think one needs to consider a few things. Correct me if I'm wrong on this, but I believe that a couple wins came against back-up goaltenders - including the one win against Sudbury in a game where the Rangers were handed a ton of PP's. A couple of wins against the "lowly Storm", one of which they likely should have lost. Then there was that first win - against a visibly tired Flint team that was playing its 3rd game in 3 days.

There are a many here and also beyond this board that are a heck of lot smarter than me in pointing out technically what is wrong with this team. What I do notice however, is a team that, aside from a game or two, lacks speed, lacks a good forecheck, and for some unknown reason struggles in their own end. Have the Rangers actually outshot the opposition this year yet ?

I hope this team doesn't end up with fired coach if it means MM having to go back behind the bench. Not that MM isn't capable, but we need him to continue to do his job and patch up the holes on this team.

Sorry for the long-winded post, but how could all this be happening? This is all a real head-scratcher for me.

 

[Coaches Coroner]

The Rangers are not a blue-collar team by any stretch of the imagination. Who amongst them strikes fear in the hearts of the opposition? Years ago, when players were drafted, they always had a player or two that were described as a "bull in a China shop". Like a Duco. Fans seem to shy away from the tough hard to play against players. The scouts are not looking for these types anymore. Presently the Rangers really have no players that throw hits or get into scraps to spark the team and put a fire in their bellies. Look at the standings. Rangers aren't even in a playoff position at the moment. The top two lines are not playing defense and the bottom lines have zero points. Not a great recipe for success. Little bit of a vent. We are starting to sound like Leaf Fans.

Nah, as a Leaf fan I can tell you the reactions here are tame and less reactionary in comparison to the Leafs board. Maybe some hyperbole ie. their are definitely guys that throw hits (Andonovski in particular), it's just not enough of them; or when they have fire in their bullies it's stuff like Serpa and Valade taking stupid retaliation penalties instead of legal physical retaliation. It would be really nice if 1 of my teams could not be a disaster.

I see the individual talent level in these guys, but some how when you put them all together with this system or whatever, you're getting less than the sum of their parts.


I didn't really get excited about the 4 wins; all that accomplished was getting us back to .500, it was necessary to have even a glimpse of hope, not something that inspired confidence in me. Additionally so because you expect a morale boost from the addition of a top end talent like Mesar, and that boost can cool off (and it looks like it is).

I'm not making any additions to this team until late November/early December, and only really then if things have turned around. We've got enough assets that we could trade some at that point if the team is still flailing, have a nice draft cupboard for our new-cycle next year and still be a playoff team and get similar results to last year.

 

[EvenSteven]

I'm not making any additions to this team until late November/early December, and only really then if things have turned around. We've got enough assets that we could trade some at that point if the team is still flailing, have a nice draft cupboard for our new-cycle next year and still be a playoff team and get similar results to last year.

Especially like this.

 

[TheBlueMonster]

Isaac Langdon is back in Canada. Lacing them up in the PJHL (Junior C).

I don't want to get into it, but he had some raw skill. Wonder what would have become of him had he gotten the vaccine. Maybe we're looking at him the same way we're looking at Valade or Serpa.

 

[bobber]

Isaac Langdon is back in Canada. Lacing them up in the PJHL (Junior C).

I don't want to get into it, but he had some raw skill. Wonder what would have become of him had he gotten the vaccine. Maybe we're looking at him the same way we're looking at Valade or Serpa.

I think Langdon was another cookie cutter type of player with not a ton of upside. Could be wrong be he wasn't overly impressive.

 

[GeoBlue]

Isaac Langdon is back in Canada. Lacing them up in the PJHL (Junior C).

I don't want to get into it, but he had some raw skill. Wonder what would have become of him had he gotten the vaccine. Maybe we're looking at him the same way we're looking at Valade or Serpa.

I think he would have gotten a few more concussions. As I recall, did not skate with his head up.

 

[TheBlueMonster]

I think Langdon was another cookie cutter type of player with not a ton of upside. Could be wrong be he wasn't overly impressive.

Cookie Cutter is a great way to describe it. I thought there was some upside to his game but certainly I could be overlooking some massive negatives.

 

[EvenSteven]

I think Langdon was another cookie cutter type of player with not a ton of upside. Could be wrong be he wasn't overly impressive.

The same could be said for Valade and Serpa two years ago. His downfall though I believe was injuries. Concussions due to continuously being an easy mark for big open ice hits.

Outside of injury, he could very well have been on par with Valade and Serpa today. As you said, not overly impressive but possibly a useful OA.

 

[bobber]

Valade has 10 points and is a plus 2. He is 79th in scoring in the OHL. As Even said not that impressive but he has some speed and is noticeable. Serpa on the other hand has 7 points and is a -6. 119th in stats. I think Serpa either steps up or is a candidate for an update as an OA. IMO an OA should make an impact. I like Valade's game. He is not a heavy weight, but you notice him when he is on the ice.

 

[Coaches Coroner]

I think Langdon was another cookie cutter type of player with not a ton of upside. Could be wrong be he wasn't overly impressive.

Injury's helped derail him. Had good potential at the start, solid IQ, good positioning, hard shot,(had NCAA option and some scouting orgs had him as a 1st rounder from his draft) but didn't protect himself enough and after the first or second time he seemed different. Probably should have been moved to wing, eventually seemed a little lost at C. Maybe dad should have spent more time teaching him about protecting himself from head injuries, and less teaching him to protect himself from the international vaccine conspiracy nonsense.

Valade tends to get better in the second half but he's still one of those tunnel vision speedsters and I don't think that will ever change. It really limits is playmaking ability because he can create a lot of space but he just doesn't see the ice well when making that space.

 

[RichieRice]

Today's 32 Thoughts article says that Shane Wright is getting less than 7 minutes a game with the Kraken. With Kingston bidding for the Mem Cup, maybe a big deal is coming at the deadline? Makes you think..

 

[Jives]

I think with Serpa fans / management just need to give the kid another month or so before an opinion can be formed on his performance this season. Losing your best friend at 20 years old I’m sure would be tough and that happened right before the season started. Some people can handle that better then others. I think Serpa just needs a bit of time. I have faith he will turn his season around soon and turn that 2nd line into one of the best in 2nd lines in the OHL. Give it a month or so and let’s see what happens.

 

[bobber]

I think with Serpa fans / management just need to give the kid another month or so before an opinion can be formed on his performance this season. Losing your best friend at 20 years old I’m sure would be tough and that happened right before the season started. Some people can handle that better then others. I think Serpa just needs a bit of time. I have faith he will turn his season around soon and turn that 2nd line into one of the best in 2nd lines in the OHL. Give it a month or so and let’s see what happens.

I hope Serpa does step up to the plate. Like to see him stop slashing opponents after whistles. Hope I am wrong, but I just don't see the Rangers contending this season at the moment in time. They are so far behind the leaders. Rangers have had 50 PP and only scored on 10. To put that into perspective Saginaw is at the top of the league in that department. It would take a hell of a turn around and some savvy trades to get to the top of the league. The teams at the top of the league presently are not going to let up. If they feel they have enough for a run, they will make the necessary trades to bolster their squads. Wonder what MM has up his sleeve going forward? As an old coot I have probably ate more crow pie than most. Another piece or two won't hurt.

 

[Gondrex]

............Hope I am wrong, but I just don't see the Rangers contending this season at the moment in time. They are so far behind the leaders. Rangers have had 50 PP and only scored on 10. To put that into perspective Saginaw is at the top of the league in that department. It would take a hell of a turn around and some savvy trades to get to the top of the league. The teams at the top of the league presently are not going to let up. If they feel they have enough for a run, they will make the necessary trades to bolster their squads. Wonder what MM has up his sleeve going forward? As an old coot I have probably ate more crow pie than most. Another piece or two won't hurt.

If late October is roughly when you start getting a good feel for where your team is headed, and early December is (roughly / arguably) the time when the buying and selling begins, the next 4 weeks are obviously pretty crucial for righting this ship.