Kitchener Rangers 2022-23 Season Thread

[GermanSpitfire]

I’m going to assume the deal will look similar to Adam Fantilli’s last year when he was dealt to North Bay from Saginaw - maybe with a few more conditional picks coming back to Kitchener. Hage was announced as defective in his 16 year old year whereas Fantilli it was his 17 year old year he was traded, so that’s why he may get more conditional picks.

Most all selections Kitchener acquires will be conditional and contingent on weather or not Hage reports to the team he is traded to.

 

[GeoBlue]

Hoping we see a trade. The other options aren't as appealing as getting a 10th and picks (and potentially not as appealing as just the 10th on its own, given how well 2 1sts would line up with the stage in the 4 year cycle we'll be at after this season). I guess the trade window in January would also be good if you could get a good enough player (if Brown has that right).
The injury rumour is interesting, I'm not a gambling man though and would prefer the sure thing, being what it is.

The injury is not a rumour. MM mentioned it at the Shareholders meeting on Monday and it is definitely "significant" in MM's own words. He also stated that they went with Hage at the draft knowing that he may not report, this year, anyways. Longacre is a different story. MM was expecting to see him as he committed but changed his mind afterwards. This one is still a work in progress with him, his family and his agent. Mesar's future is in the hands of the Habs and it will be a wait and see.

 

[bobber]

When the Rangers saw that Hage was available in the draft they grabbed him. London Knights were waiting in the wings. Regardless of whether they would of picked Hage they do put pressure on the some teams picking ahead of them to select these hold outs. Not sure what next years draft looks like talent wise. Some teams benefit from these defected players with two 1st round picks because they pick higher in the order. Usually the top five players are the impact players unless it is an usually strong draft year. Maybe Hage had his sites set on another team and a trade is in the offing. Guess we wait and see what comes of this. Can't remember if the Rangers were in this position before?

 

[EvenSteven]

Can't remember if the Rangers were in this position before?

To my knowledge, I don’t think we’ve ever selected a player in the first round that we could not get signed.

Ever.

Depending on what this significant injury is, MM could have a hard time dealing him (if he wanted to) in time for us to be able to cash in on the first round comp pick next year. Is this injury a few weeks or is it a Jesse Fishman type injury?

I’ll assume it’s somewhere in between. But if I’m a team who might want to trade for his rights by tomorrow, and give up a package comparable to that of top end first round defected players, that means 3x2nds and 3x3rds, I want that player 100% healthy and playing sooner than later.

If I am MM, and I’m not 100% sure that Hage will report here by next September, I’m shopping his rights heavily around the league right now to try to get a deal done by sometime tomorrow. That’s when his trade value would be the highest and that’s when the trade would have to be done for us to get that first round comp pick.

At the same time, I talk to Hage and his camp and if I cannot get that commitment to report here 100% by next September, I then ask him if there is a team in this league that he will report to. And if there is a team or two that he will definitely report to, I try to get a deal done by tomorrow to the team of his choice.

Again, if we can’t get him 100% committed to play here, anything less than a fair package for his rights, plus that first round comp pick, is unacceptable.

I say that realizing that if we were able to move him in the January window for trading 16-year-old first rounders, that package would have to rival the return we would get in moving him by tomorrow. That could be possible. If we were a contender and used him to bring in the top player available on the block at the deadline, that would also be an acceptable deal.

For example, Mason McTavish was moved for 2x2nds, 3x3rds, former 1st rounder Alex Pharand, former 2nd rounder Jonathon Melee (those two would essentially be the 1st round comp pick and the third 2nd rounder) plus a conditional 4th.

Hypothetically, that’s pretty damn close to the return we would get if we were to trade him tomorrow.

 

[Torts]

That's tough news for the Rangers. On some sort of bright side, in a season they most likely should be a good/contending team - the picks will be beneficial come trade deadline to acquire some more players for the playoff push.

 

[Rangers True Blue]

The injury is not a rumour. MM mentioned it at the Shareholders meeting on Monday and it is definitely "significant" in MM's own words. He also stated that they went with Hage at the draft knowing that he may not report, this year, anyways. Longacre is a different story. MM was expecting to see him as he committed but changed his mind afterwards. This one is still a work in progress with him, his family and his agent. Mesar's future is in the hands of the Habs and it will be a wait and see.

And I saw a tweet out of that camp that stated Hage left the ice and never returned. After that, crickets. Also, Hage is not listed on their 2022-23 pre-season roster.

 

[Rangers True Blue]

Posted 3 days ago.......no mention of Hage injury yet again, he's not on their pre-season listing (maybe not updated).....but I found this interesting:
OFF-SEASON CHANGES

• Brock Sheahan left the organization and is now taking over as head coach of the Chicago Ice Wolves in the AHL
• Mike Garman stepped in as head coach after Sheahan's departure and will continue to serve as the organization's general manager

If former coach, Brock Sheahan, was a key reason for going to the Steel, that reason no longer exists.

 

[Coaches Coroner]

I’m with you. But he mustn’t have any trade options. If he did, you’d think a trade would have been announced. Why would another team trade for his rights, tying up picks, if they know he isn’t coming? Of course, a trade could still be announced by Thursday.

Has there ever been a defected player designated as such without a trade announcement?

I think it's worth making a trade even if all you get is a conditional pick or a really late pick, just to trigger the compensation pick.

The only 1st rounder I remember not signing was Cam Fowler.

Kind of random, but I was wondering if we officially released Isaac Langdons rights? Technically he'd be an OA candidate for the league, though he's certainly burnt his bridges here and doesn't seem to have developed beyond his 1st season still, with a pretty bad showing in Finlands U20 league as a 19 year old.

 

[HockeyPops]

I don't think the injury would really affect getting a deal done. The deal would be conditional picks anyway, so the team trading for him could include conditions for significant time missed / performance goals etc. Whoever acquired his rights wouldn't be expecting to sign him this year anyway (unless it's London).

 

[Generalsupdates]

The only 1st rounder I remember not signing was Cam Fowler.

It just happened with Jack McBain (BAR) and Tyler Weiss (SAR) in the last couple years as well

 

[Coaches Coroner]

It just happened with Jack McBain (BAR) and Tyler Weiss (SAR) in the last couple years as well

I was talking about Kitchener, a poster above me specifically mentioned not remembering the last time we had a 1st rounder not sign. Thanks for coming out though.

 

[LDN]

Would you trade Hage to London? What would be the asking price?

 

[bobber]

Would you trade Hage to London? What would be the asking price?

What does London think a talented player like Hage is worth? Heads and tails better than all the rookies in Ranger camp. Kid has ice in his veins.

 

[LDN]

What does London think a talented player like Hage is worth? Heads and tails better than all the rookies in Ranger camp. Kid has ice in his veins.

Similar package to Dickinson…. Problem is idk if we have the picks

 

[rangersblues]

Similar package to Dickinson…. Problem is idk if we have the picks

I would think if a couple of picks were guaranteed that the cost of conditional picks would drop drastically.

 

[EvenSteven]

The only 1st rounder I remember not signing was Cam Fowler.

Kind of random, but I was wondering if we officially released Isaac Langdons rights? Technically he'd be an OA candidate for the league, though he's certainly burnt his bridges here and doesn't seem to have developed beyond his 1st season still, with a pretty bad showing in Finlands U20 league as a 19 year old.

Geez. How’d I forget Fowler? Lol.

Does a trade actually have to happen to trigger the compensation pick?

 

[HockeyPops]

No, but to get the comp they have to relinquish rights to the player, either through trade or by allowing them to go back into the draft.

 

[aresknights]

I hoping the Habs send Mesar up the 401 to KTown even as a Knights lol. Would be nice to see him play a handful of games.
You guys seem set up well far even without Hage

 

[rangersblues]

I hoping the Habs send Mesar up the 401 to KTown even as a Knights lol. Would be nice to see him play a handful of games.
You guys seem set up well far even without Hage

The league is always more fun to watch when the talent level is high no matter who they play for

 

[Gondrex]

You guys seem set up well far even without Hage

Perhaps on paper, but I still think it would take a Mesar to come here in order to challenge for top spot, along with a trade-dead line upgrade or two.

Regarding Hage, in light of the decision in which this year's 2nd rounder has made in not reporting, how the Hage situation is handled is now even more important. The quality of a team's high-end picks in most cases has a major impact on your team down the road. I do think (3rd rounder) Bottineau will turn out to be a good pick, but if we see neither Hage or Longacre, that puts a big immediate hole in our 06 group. Future trades would likely need to be made to balance out that age group.
For me, ideally he decides to leave Chicago and comes here - perhaps a bit of a long shot.

Getting a comp and picks for Hage from a willing trade partner would be the next best case IMO. Then at least the team would theoretically have two quality 07's to build around in the future. Drafting a 2nd rounder next year that you know will report (acknowledging that they usually do) has now likely become a bit more important too.

 

[Rangers True Blue]

MESAR IS COMING TO THE RANGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[robertmac43]

Exciting news with Mesar. Really starting to get excited for this season!

 

[GermanSpitfire]

I’m shocked

 

[I Loveallsports]

Sudbury Wolves

sudburywolves.com

 

[Coaches Coroner]

Hage to Sudbury for a gaurenteed 4th, and a conditional 2, 3 * 4

I was getting a bit disappointed with it looking like he wasn't getting moved.

I think this is a B/B+ for me if the conditions are never met, A- if met. More guaranteed would be ideal, but with how crowded the roster is (and the bottom half has some younger guys with potential, not just veteran bottom liners) I thought the Hage pick with all the options it entails was good asset management at this point in time if we got either him or the 11th overall next year as compensation..

This could be Sudbury just doing us a solid and shooting for the stars for a decent but replaceable pick. So the kid has Chicago or Siber...Sudbury to choose from when he returns from injury.