Rangers True Blue
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Or he could just work on it against a few teams here that are well known for their physical play...
Kitchener Rangers 2023-24 Off-Season Thread (Part 2)
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Ref Hannah
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- Jul 19, 2024
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Not sure why the sour grapes?
Good for the big guy. At that size he'll be playing a specific role and as such, will need "much much much" more professional traing. More than the OHL can provide.
Swick vs Rempe 2025!
Ref Hannah
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- Jul 19, 2024
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I don’t watch Kitchener but the knock on swick in his OHL draft year was that he’s a giant but zero physical intensity. he hits from time to time but generally thinks he’s soft skill. is that still the case?
Have you seen Swick play? Clearly you don’t know the type of player he is. He ain’t fighting Rempe.
I would say this is still relatively accurate today. He’s definitely more physical than he was playing minor hockey but opposing players over say 5’9 don’t seem scared to battle in a corner against him by any means even though he is bigger and stronger obviously.
The idea of him needing to go pro to work on this doesn’t track for me. I would imagine Vegas isn’t projecting him to become Rempe 2.0 so another season of junior where he can play with Rehkopf, work on his physicality and then play for a contender after the deadline would be great for his development.
he’s for sure back baring any shocking play at camp. if hes not that physical aggressive power guy now he probably never will be and won’t get it at pro I do t imagine
EvenSteven
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I wouldn’t go as far as to call him soft, but he isn’t scaring anyone out there. In his rookie year, he dished out a few massive open ice hits that were mostly legal, but not in this league. Getting five and a game for open ice hits, legal or not, obviously caused him to refrain, or the coaching staff gave him refrain, from these actions.
He reminds me of Connor Bunnaman in the way he shies away from confrontation in most scrums. I said about Bunnaman back then that if he developed a mean streak, he could up his draft ranking and have a nice pro career. You’d have to twist his arm to give someone as much as a face wash.
Posters like OHL4Life came on here and said what he just did in his post above. Damned if he wasn’t right then, and he’s likely right now.
No disrespect to Swick, or Bunnaman for that matter. But if you’re not that type of player, you’re not that type of player, size be damned.
But being that big, and not having that element in your game sticks out like a sore thumb more than it does smaller players if you don’t put up numbers.
He reminds me of Connor Bunnaman in the way he shies away from confrontation in most scrums. I said about Bunnaman back then that if he developed a mean streak, he could up his draft ranking and have a nice pro career. You’d have to twist his arm to give someone as much as a face wash.
Posters like OHL4Life came on here and said what he just did in his post above. Damned if he wasn’t right then, and he’s likely right now.
No disrespect to Swick, or Bunnaman for that matter. But if you’re not that type of player, you’re not that type of player, size be damned.
But being that big, and not having that element in your game sticks out like a sore thumb more than it does smaller players if you don’t put up numbers.
100 percent, most ‘mean’ players are mean at 8 or 9, not 20. It’s hard to develop that mentality. You can adapt your game and use your body more, but the natural mean streak is just that, natural
Players like Swick need to learn how to carry their stick. Holding it at your waist usually gets you a high sticking penalty. LOL! I think he will have a good OA year in Kitchener. He's shown a scoring touch and it will get even better as he puts that reach to use and body in front of the net.
Rangers True Blue
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Swick was drafted despite his lack of a "mean" streak that's apparently evident at a young age. But he does have the size and skill sets that caught the interest of professionals. He needs to hit more, be more aggressive around the net, and add some grit to his game this year. It's easy to be mean and a bully. There was a 4th line devoted to that last year and it wasn't pretty....or hockey for that matter.
XHEKAJ Resigns with Habs
www.tsn.ca
Canadiens re-sign D Xhekaj on two-year, $2.6M deal | TSN
The Montreal Canadiens re-signed defenceman Arber Xhekaj on a two-year, $2.6 million contract on Tuesday. The new deal will carry an average annual value of $1.3 million for Xhekaj, who was a restricted free agent.
www.tsn.ca
rangersblues
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This is exactly why I think Swick's heading for something other than an OA season - at least to start. He's had 3 seasons in Kitchener and hasn't made much progress in his physical play. Like you said it's easy to be a bully playing against kids. It's time for him to see if he can take advantage of his size playing against men. I think Swick at least starts somewhere playing pro.
The counter argument to that is that if he's not using his size against kids - the chances that he starts to play with grit against bigger players is fairly low.
Maybe he'll be forced into it if he's playing against more physical players that match up better size-wise, but that's a bit of a gamble in terms of development.
rangersblues
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Just saying I wouldn't be shocked if they kept Swick up for a while to see if different coaching and playing against older players stimulates his physical play. If it doesn't he can always be sent back.
usually you need to prove you can do it at lower levels before they let you try at higher levels
Matttheleaf
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- Apr 18, 2019
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Canada’s National Men’s Summer Under-18 Team roster named for 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup
Twenty-two players from eight Members will wear the Maple Leaf and defend gold at the 2024 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
www.hockeycanada.ca
Romano and Reid have made the roster for the Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
Krangers08
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- Sep 11, 2023
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Cameron Reid and Luca Romano have made the u18 roster
Romano has gone from 168 to 173 lbs
Reid has gone from 175 to 182 lbs
Romano has gone from 168 to 173 lbs
Reid has gone from 175 to 182 lbs
I don't think coaching is the issue. Juicy has realized that the team needs more physicality after their playoff series against London last year and it shows in the players that they have drafted this year. I am sure he has different plans for Swick this year.
Rangers True Blue
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Krangers08
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Trade Freeze should be lifted by Monday.
08’s can officially commit to NCAA programs tomorrow.
08’s can officially commit to NCAA programs tomorrow.
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Rehkopf off to a good start to his hockey season. One goal in the inter squad game and adding 2 more against Sweden last night which included a clutch, late game goal forcing it into overtime.
Rangers True Blue
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Matttheleaf
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They most likely will be. Not sure if Mike would want to deal with the Devil, I mean Knights but if they have the best price then he just might.
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