Kitchener Rangers 2024-25 Season Thread, Part I

[robertmac43]

Guys what is happening?!? Ahhh

 

[EvenSteven]

Parekh is so immensely skilled and mentally fragile.

He’s an easy mark.

 

[LostRangers]

Saggy who? Rangers aren't bad for a rebuild squad.

Good win. Thank you Jackson.
I know Shoresy says you have to hate losing more than you love winning, but I don’t think that means you pound a guy from behind because he is freezing the puck with 5 seconds left and you are down 2. And whoever that was from Saggy that was throwing punches with a fishbowl on…..pure courage.
Coach Lazarus can complain all he wants about penalties, but if that’s the way you teach kids to play, you better have a great PK.
End of rant. Go Rangers!

 

[RangerNation]

I selfishly want Parsons to end his career in Kitchener. What a great game. He can steal a round right now.

 

[Matttheleaf]

I selfishly want Parsons to end his career in Kitchener. What a great game. He can steal a round right now.

Right now he is the rookie Parsons we saw in the 2022 playoffs that stole that series with Pavel. If he plays at this level he can most definitely steal a series or even two.

 

[Matttheleaf]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1853205540572209255

Well London has just gotten better without spending a dime.

 

[Jives]

Are there any other players you can give your endorsement and give the "Ref Hannah bump" ?

10 points in his last 4 games. Is that any good?? Should be a 4th line LW.

 

[Ward Cornell]

Right now he is the rookie Parsons we saw in the 2022 playoffs that stole that series with Pavel. If he plays at this level he can most definitely steal a series or even two.

Parsons has looked good in net after being moved off centre to give a chance to Romano.

 

[StingUpdates]

U guys are about as surprising a team I've seen in the OHL since I started watching back around 08/09 (u know when u guys eliminated us with Stamkos.....)

Seriously mind blown how good y'all look with so many young, unknown parts. Very impressive.

I'm praying my Flyers are looking & seeing Ahokas cause he's something else as HC & he's gonna make a pro team look awfully smart whenever he decides to go.

 

[Tim Wallach]

U guys are about as surprising a team I've seen in the OHL since I started watching back around 08/09 (u know when u guys eliminated us with Stamkos.....)

Seriously mind blown how good y'all look with so many young, unknown parts. Very impressive.

I'm praying my Flyers are looking & seeing Ahokas cause he's something else as HC & he's gonna make a pro team look awfully smart whenever he decides to go.

What impresses me most is not just the obvious organization and effort, but on an individual level, most guys are improving their skills. Former plugs are making plays more and more. So whatever they’re doing between games is working well.

 

[EvenSteven]

What impresses me most is not just the obvious organization and effort, but on an individual level, most guys are improving their skills. Former plugs are making plays more and more. So whatever they’re doing between games is working well.

There doesn’t seem to be any quit on this team. No quit on pucks in either zone. As you said, guys we brought in on the cheap (former plugs) are contributing in big ways from secondary roles. Grisolia is incredibly impressive on the forecheck and PK. Vermeulen slots in nice on the second line and second PP unit. He makes his size a factor in those situations.

How our 06’s and 07’s are performing this year is how I expected them to perform next year. Geez they are primary factors this year. A year early! The Rangers are going to be serious contenders the next two years.

 

[EvenSteven]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1853205540572209255

Well London has just gotten better without spending a dime.

Good!!!

Hopefully, this leads the way for some of the flyers we took in the last two drafts reporting here. Haeden Ellis, LJ Mooney, Niles Benson and Matthew Grimes from the ‘23 draft and Jacob Xu, Jude Bray, Jack Hextall, and of course Adam Valentini (trade) from the ‘24 draft.

If at some point a few of these guys report, it should lessen the need for a deep draft cupboard going forward.

No doubt OHL teams will run their drafts a little differently going forward. There’ll be a ton more flyers taken by all teams I’d think. Especially if more and more of these guys jump to the CHL.

 

[rangersblues]

What impresses me most is not just the obvious organization and effort, but on an individual level, most guys are improving their skills. Former plugs are making plays more and more. So whatever they’re doing between games is working well.

Last season we really showed improvement early from the previous season and then plateaued as the season went on. Let's hope that isn't the case this season. Which is part of the reason I don't want to trade Swick and Ando unless the return is significant.

 

[Rangers True Blue]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1853205540572209255

Well London has just gotten better without spending a dime.

Now if Valentini would leave that mediocre team he's on.....

 

[Rangers True Blue]

There doesn’t seem to be any quit on this team. No quit on pucks in either zone. As you said, guys we brought in on the cheap (former plugs) are contributing in big ways from secondary roles. Grisolia is incredibly impressive on the forecheck and PK. Vermeulen slots in nice on the second line and second PP unit. He makes his size a factor in those situations.

How our 06’s and 07’s are performing this year is how I expected them to perform next year. Geez they are primary factors this year. A year early! The Rangers are going to be serious contenders the next two years.

And despite playing a horrid 1st period (you'd think they were the team that played a game the day before), Rangers score 3 goals. In the 2nd, they started to play their systems and it showed....especially in the 3rd when Sag poured it on. And what the hell was that at the end if the game? Pure frustration by Sag. Misa didn't even get on the score board. Overall, not one of the Rangers better games but good enough to win yet again

 

[Rangers True Blue]

Good!!!

Hopefully, this leads the way for some of the flyers we took in the last two drafts reporting here. Haeden Ellis, LJ Mooney, Niles Benson and Matthew Grimes from the ‘23 draft and Jacob Xu, Jude Bray, Jack Hextall, and of course Adam Valentini (trade) from the ‘24 draft.

If at some point a few of these guys report, it should lessen the need for a deep draft cupboard going forward.

No doubt OHL teams will run their drafts a little differently going forward. There’ll be a ton more flyers taken by all teams I’d think. Especially if more and more of these guys jump to the CHL.

XU playing for Trenton in the OJHL could see him here next season now that the U.S. experiment didn't go well. Valentini is going to tear it up at the WHJ-under 17.

Side bar.........Pug is with the Pelham Panthers in the OJHL. All the best with that!

 

[LDN]

Respect to you guys. Your coach is amazing

 

[EvenSteven]

Now if Valentini would leave that mediocre team he's on.....

This vote that will happen at the D1 NCAA meeting in November might be the trigger that has more of these players jumping into the CHL this year. I’m not sure when in November this meeting is to take place, but it’s something worth keeping an eye on.

As far as Valentini goes, you’d have to think with the ice time he’d be getting here this year on a young Rangers team, he’d be among the OHL rookie point leaders. That puts him ahead of his point totals in Chicago. I don’t know what his minutes are in Chicago, but he’d have no trouble getting minutes this year in Kitchener.

 

[MVarley]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1853205540572209255

Well London has just gotten better without spending a dime.

a few dollars may have been spent lol

 

[Ref Hannah]

Are there any other players you can give your endorsement and give the "Ref Hannah bump" ?

Absolutely! Reid goes without saying. With an inch or so and a couple pounds..he'll go first round next year for sure. Size maybe his only hurtle to lock in. If he continues to get even better, with a little more edge, that may not even matter.
Elli is playing well. Needs some help from his wings though. Trying to do just a bit too much on his own.
Parsons is playing better. Way more confident than earlier this season. He could be sold if there is an injury?
Overall the powerplay is getting better after the small change on the 1st line.

 

[frontsfan67]

This vote that will happen at the D1 NCAA meeting in November might be the trigger that has more of these players jumping into the CHL this year. I’m not sure when in November this meeting is to take place, but it’s something worth keeping an eye on.

As far as Valentini goes, you’d have to think with the ice time he’d be getting here this year on a young Rangers team, he’d be among the OHL rookie point leaders. That puts him ahead of his point totals in Chicago. I don’t know what his minutes are in Chicago, but he’d have no trouble getting minutes this year in Kitchener.

Believe I saw it somewhere that it is happening Nov 7th although it was just a comment from somewhere on here so may not be 100% accurate.

This would be very good for the OHL imo. Would suck losing the calum Ritchie’s of the OHL for their 19 year old seasons but atleast we wouldn’t have as many kids committing elsewhere like the USHL/BCHL/OJHL and inevitably college hockey eventually.

Also it may happen where some kids that were always leaning college hockey get hooked into the CHL rather than going to one of the other feeder leagues and may not want to leave for college hockey.

I would LOVE to see Valentini, Mooney, Xu in the OHL absolutely. And I’m sure there’s atleast 2 good players every team has drafted that could contribute nightly to their respective teams.

 

[Jives]

Does anyone know about 19 year olds for sure could leave? Reid, Romano and Lam would have an option for their 19 year season and could have the choice of NCAA or OHL? I figured the OHL would lock all players until they finish their 19 year season and then when they would be OAs they could choose what route they want to go?

 

[Ward Cornell]

Does anyone know about 19 year olds for sure could leave? Reid, Romano and Lam would have an option for their 19 year season and could have the choice of NCAA or OHL? I figured the OHL would lock all players until they finish their 19 year season and then when they would be OAs they could choose what route they want to.

The deciding factor is where their NHL team would want them. Also by that time the NHL CHL agreement will be renegotiated and they could be somewhere in the pros.

 

[frontsfan67]

The deciding factor is where their NHL team would want them. Also by that time the NHL CHL agreement will be renegotiated and they could be somewhere in the pros.

I assume they’ll allow players in the AHL at 19 rather than 20 now since at 18/19 they’d be able to go that college route anyways. European players all the time end up there anyways the following year right after getting drafted.

20 doesn’t make any sense imo with this new agreement that’ll be put in place with the CHL and NCAA. A few guys in the league this year that would likely be in the ahl if eligible at 19 rather than 20- Ritchie, Musty, Gibson, Andonovski, Cowan for starters. A longer list I’m sure those 5 are just off the top of my head.

This agreement likely changes a LOT

 

[K2]

I figured the OHL would lock all players until they finish their 19 year season

No chance of that, 18 year olds will leave for their committed NCAA schools to enter with their cohort if they wish. Some 16/17 year olds might leave too if they graduated HS early (Parekh) and are college bound early. The path likely won't change much for NCAA committed kids, they just won't be forced to avoid the CHL beyond the '48-hour rule' to remain NCAA eligible.

Kids that remain in the CHL until 18-20 likely exhaust any pro playing options before embarking on post secondary academics/athletics much like now but with NCAA being a late entry option.