Kitchener Rangers 2023-24 Off-Season Thread (Part 1)

[bobber]

Agreed.

Having gone through the London series, my hope was that, on the contending team we keep referring to two years from now, we'd have two physical / rugged / "tough as nails" OA's to go along with the talented (and hopefully returning) Ellinas. To combine those three along with the drafted '07 group we currently have, in my opinion I think this would be the ultimate combination. Hopefully the '08's also turn out to be a good supporting cast.

Dirracolo and Hlacar appear to be those two - assuming Hlacar can prove he can play. Maybe Bottineau could be considered too. He doesn't shy away from the physical play, but I'd like to see the two that other teams hate to play against. I just want to see two 20 year-old "tough guys" that will allow everyone else to play their game. I think Oshawa getting OA Connor Punnett was a great trade that helped them to get where they are. Having two in my opinion is even better.

On a side note I think Punnett suffered a bad injury last game. Not sure ?

 

[EvenSteven]

On a side note I think Punnett suffered a bad injury last game. Not sure ?

Punnett should have been a Ranger at the deadline.

 

[Gondrex]

I really like this signing. It looks like MM is finally maybe staring to realize that we need some size, grit and physicality in our lineup. We definitely need to be more tougher to play against especially in the playoffs where the games become more physical. We’ve been far too easy to play against the past couple of post seasons as we’ve had no push back against more physical teams. It’s ok to have some smaller skilled guys but you need a good mix of grinders and skilled guys. Our lineup the past few seasons as been too many players with very similar styles. In regards to next season it need to be a development year and anyone who won’t be here in two years should be traded for assets in picks and younger players. We should have enough to get into the playoffs as a lower seed to get valuable experience for our younger core. I have faith in the coaching staff to get the most out of the roster.

Perhaps a 4th line consisting of Hlacar - Cameron - Headrick (?)

Hlacar and Cameron do have size, but of course at his age and his manner, Hlacar likely provides the space for the other two. I'm going to guess that the size of former linemate Belchetz (almost a full foot taller) had helped Headrick's overall game last season. Maybe by potentially putting Hlacar on the same line it could do the same for him this coming year too, while also helping Hlacar himself to get up to speed in this league.

 

[GeoBlue]

2 OAs have to go.

Forwards - 15
Defence - 7
Goalies - 3

OA - 3
Swick
Pug
Misa
2005 - 3
Rehkopf
Sale
Mercer
2006 - 3
Ellinas
Bott
Hlacar
2007 - 4
Lam
Romano
Stark
Paquette
2008 - 2
Headrick
Cameron

2005 - 2
Ando
Savard
2006 - 2
Campbell
Dirracolo
2007 - 2
Reid
MacNeil
2008 - 1
Bilecki

OA - 2
Parsons
Malboeuf
2007 - 1
Edwards

Which OA;s go? There is a conversation on its own. IMO, Parsons gets traded as he brings the most value for a goalie. Malboeuf will do okay as a mentor to Edwards. And I am thinking Missle gets traded?

 

[Jives]

Perhaps a 4th line consisting of Hlacar - Cameron - Headrick (?)

Hlacar and Cameron do have size, but of course at his age and his manner, Hlacar likely provides the space for the other two. I'm going to guess that the size of former linemate Belchetz (almost a full foot taller) had helped Headrick's overall game last season. Maybe by potentially putting Hlacar on the same line it could do the same for him this coming year too, while also helping Hlacar himself to get up to speed in this league.

Hlacar hopefully gained some speed. I really noticed that last training camp he couldn’t keep up.

 

[EvenSteven]

Hlacar hopefully gained some speed. I really noticed that last training camp he couldn’t keep up.

I took in the first scrimmage this year. He looked ok but wasn’t near the fastest.

 

[Gondrex]

Which OA;s go? There is a conversation on its own. IMO, Parsons gets traded as he brings the most value for a goalie. Malboeuf will do okay as a mentor to Edwards. And I am thinking Missle gets traded?

Yeah that's a good question.

I agree with your thoughts on Malboeuf and Parsons.

To me Pug adds character, a bit of a physical game, and can chip in with a goal here and there. I think he is more valuable to this team than what the Rangers would get in any trade.

Between Swick and Miseljevic I see pros and cons. In a trade, Swick likely produces the best return. He's big, good on the PP and PK. Miseljevic has speed and can provide some offence under the right circumstances. Maybe the decision boils down to what kind of interest there is in Swick and how much someone is willing to pay?

 

[Jives]

Which OA;s go? There is a conversation on its own. IMO, Parsons gets traded as he brings the most value for a goalie. Malboeuf will do okay as a mentor to Edwards. And I am thinking Missle gets traded?

I trade Swick and Parsons right away. I hope Misa starts hot again and trade him if he does. Maybe take back a weaker OA back in a trade to fill the 3rd spot. If not I fill it cheap if fighting for a playoff spot like London with Lawrence. Spend a 6th to 10th round pick to add some experience and leadership.

I can’t see Pug being moved. He is really well liked it seems, works his ass off (good example for the young ones) and his trade value is the lowest of the 5 OAs for sure. I’ll gladly keep Pug

 

[Gondrex]

I took in the first scrimmage this year. He looked ok but wasn’t near the fastest.

My observation was the same. I think if he works on his skating over the summer it would go a long way next season.

 

[EvenSteven]

Which OA;s go? There is a conversation on its own. IMO, Parsons gets traded as he brings the most value for a goalie. Malboeuf will do okay as a mentor to Edwards. And I am thinking Missle gets traded?

Swick brings the most return. He has to go. Period. End of story.

Before the playoffs, I thought there would be takers for Parsons. But I think his trade value may have been affected. He came up big a lot, but let in a lot of goals. Some of the “wish he had back” variety.

If I’m a contending team looking for help in net, I’m looking a few other places before I look to Kitchener for Parsons. He allowed a goal in the first minute of play in three of four round two games vs London. No matter the defensive breakdown, you have to bail the team out.

I prefer to go with a Malboeuf / Edwards 50/50 split in net. That makes the most sense as I can’t see Parsons being happy with only 50% of the starts.

But if MM can’t find a taker for Parsons, and it’ll have to happen in the off season, he’ll go with Parsons as an OA.

Miseljevic’s value went through the floor after the turn of the calendar. Once Jan 1 hit, his offence died out. I can’t see him being in demand.

For me, post deadline, my choice for OA’s would be Malboeuf, Pugliese, and Miseljevic with Swick and Parsons traded.

But I fear we’ll go with Parsons with Malboeuf moving on.

 

[rangersblues]

Yeah that's a good question.

I agree with your thoughts on Malboeuf and Parsons.

To me Pug adds character, a bit of a physical game, and can chip in with a goal here and there. I think he is more valuable to this team than what the Rangers would get in any trade.

Between Swick and Miseljevic I see pros and cons. In a trade, Swick likely produces the best return. He's big, good on the PP and PK. Miseljevic has speed and can provide some offence under the right circumstances. Maybe the decision boils down to what kind of interest there is in Swick and how much someone is willing to pay?

Keep in mind if Rehkopf isn't traded before the season we need some decent players such as Swick and possibly Misaljevic to up his production and trade value.

Rehkopf is the big fish.

 

[Kingpin794]

Keep in mind if Rehkopf isn't traded before the season we need some decent players such as Swick and possibly Misaljevic to up his production and trade value.

Rehkopf is the big fish.

If he doesn’t make Seattle.

 

[Jives]

If he doesn’t make Seattle.

I would make a very, very, very large bet he doesn’t make Seattle.

 

[Kingpin794]

I would make a very, very, very large bet he doesn’t make Seattle.

I mean I would too but there’s always one weird one to stick every so often.

 

[EvenSteven]

Keep in mind if Rehkopf isn't traded before the season we need some decent players such as Swick and possibly Misaljevic to up his production and trade value.

Rehkopf is the big fish.

I think Rehkopf’s value is where it is. If his numbers dip because he isn’t playing with linemates of the quality he did last year, teams will recognize that. He’ll still draw top value.

Rehkopf likely won’t get traded until the deadline where an 08 1st rounder plus picks would come our way.

But, in the event he is, (anything could happen), there has to be a high end 07 coming back our way. The problem with that happening is that any team trading for Rehkopf would be a top contender and that top contender likely won’t be trading their high end 07.

 

[I Mac 80]

For me I think we get the most value for Swick then Parsons and then Missle. I agree with trying to get Missle off to a good start next season to enhance his trade value. On Parsons, I believe a number of goalies would have looked not great with the defence we rolled out there in the playoffs. Plus he hadn’t played a full season in probably about a year and a half as he basically missed most of the previous season which perhaps lead him to just getting tired and worn down a bit. I went to both games at camp last Sat and found it interesting that in the morning game Stark was playing up front but in the evening game he was playing on the blue line. Not sure if you read anything into that or not.

 

[East Avenue Bully]

How so? They fund it

But they don't make decisions on operations or where to build things.

Hospitals each have their own Board of Directors and Executive officers. They make the decisions.

The province only makes funding decisions, they don't get to say what the Boards can do or how each hospital operates, unless they turf the Board and executive. That's happened about two-three decades ago at Cambridge Memorial, or so. It's not done often or lightly.

 

[East Avenue Bully]

If Xu signs, with Hlacar on, the Rangers will be a good deal more nasty to deal with. I likey.

USHL draft is Monday, right? We'll see Tuesday, I guess

 

[RangerNation]

But they don't make decisions on operations or where to build things.

Hospitals each have their own Board of Directors and Executive officers. They make the decisions.

The province only makes funding decisions, they don't get to say what the Boards can do or how each hospital operates, unless they turf the Board and executive. That's happened about two-three decades ago at Cambridge Memorial, or so. It's not done often or lightly.

What boggles my mind is they only fund the building. Without hospital foundations, the buildings would be empty.

 

[TheBlueMonster]

Yeah that's a good question.

I agree with your thoughts on Malboeuf and Parsons.

To me Pug adds character, a bit of a physical game, and can chip in with a goal here and there. I think he is more valuable to this team than what the Rangers would get in any trade.

Between Swick and Miseljevic I see pros and cons. In a trade, Swick likely produces the best return. He's big, good on the PP and PK. Miseljevic has speed and can provide some offence under the right circumstances. Maybe the decision boils down to what kind of interest there is in Swick and how much someone is willing to pay?

I had thought Missal was a guarantee but he disappeared at the worsts time this year after his hot start. I think he goes in the Summer. Think Parsons will go to Erie during exib season.

Swick you keep to start.

Pug you let finish out the year here.

 

[TheBlueMonster]

I wanted to just say thank you to all the fans I was able to interact with, and meet over the years here. I am in the middle of a relocation to a new province and it makes me sad that I can't take the Rangers and the awesome fans we have here with me.

I have met life time friends in my time not only as a season ticket holder but on the many bus trips we used to take years ago.

Ill follow from a far and will be posting my future thoughts in the next couple of days but RangersNation I love you. Thanks for the memories!

 

[EvenSteven]

I had thought Missal was a guarantee but he disappeared at the worsts time this year after his hot start. I think he goes in the Summer. Think Parsons will go to Erie during exib season.

Swick you keep to start.

Pug you let finish out the year here.

Can’t see Parsons going to Erie. They have who’ll be probably the top OA group in the league next year in Pano Fimis, Sam Alfano, and Spencer Sova. None of the three are NHL drafted and all should return next year.

Now there’s a chance one or more may be taken in this year’s NHL draft, as could Swick, so I suppose there’s a chance they may lose that player or players to the pros.

 

[RangerNation]

I wanted to just say thank you to all the fans I was able to interact with, and meet over the years here. I am in the middle of a relocation to a new province and it makes me sad that I can't take the Rangers and the awesome fans we have here with me.

I have met life time friends in my time not only as a season ticket holder but on the many bus trips we used to take years ago.

Ill follow from a far and will be posting my future thoughts in the next couple of days but RangersNation I love you. Thanks for the memories!

I love you too TheBlueMonster

 

[bobber]

I wanted to just say thank you to all the fans I was able to interact with, and meet over the years here. I am in the middle of a relocation to a new province and it makes me sad that I can't take the Rangers and the awesome fans we have here with me.

I have met life time friends in my time not only as a season ticket holder but on the many bus trips we used to take years ago.

Ill follow from a far and will be posting my future thoughts in the next couple of days but RangersNation I love you. Thanks for the memories!

Best of luck in your move Blue. Been great interacting with you on HF. Hope everything turns out great in your new home in another province.

 

[EvenSteven]

I wanted to just say thank you to all the fans I was able to interact with, and meet over the years here. I am in the middle of a relocation to a new province and it makes me sad that I can't take the Rangers and the awesome fans we have here with me.

I have met life time friends in my time not only as a season ticket holder but on the many bus trips we used to take years ago.

Ill follow from a far and will be posting my future thoughts in the next couple of days but RangersNation I love you. Thanks for the memories!

Which province? Moving to a CHL town?