Kitchener Rangers 2024-25 Season Thread, Part I

[Matttheleaf]

I'm not sure if the Rangers want to bring Edwards up to the SOO to backup Schaubel, but if they do that then they can dress all 3 OA forwards, before they would have to sit one again on Saturday when Parsons would start.
The only reason I think that they would start Schaubel on Friday is that SSM is a weaker team than Saginaw would be. Obviously you want Schaubel to get great experience this year but if you can protect him by being choosy about what games he plays then I think you should. It would also allow the team to dress all 3 OA's this weekend for at least 1 game.

 

[Jives]

Anyone else get the feeling it’s going to be Pug released and they keep the other 3 OAs for the season? I just feel 2 (maybe 3) games of playoffs mean more than getting picks to this organization which imo if you want to contend for a mem cup in 2 years is a horrible mistake. You trade Swick and Ando imo the difference is maybe 3 playoff games instead of 2. We are losing in the first round if we just keep everyone. Just have the bad feeling MM wants to be somewhat competitive every year. This would be a huge problem in 2 years when we need to add a couple vets to really give the team the best chance at winning and we don’t have enough picks.

 

[Ref Hannah]

Anyone else get the feeling it’s going to be Pug released and they keep the other 3 OAs for the season? I just feel 2 (maybe 3) games of playoffs mean more than getting picks to this organization which imo if you want to contend for a mem cup in 2 years is a horrible mistake. You trade Swick and Ando imo the difference is maybe 3 playoff games instead of 2. We are losing in the first round if we just keep everyone. Just have the bad feeling MM wants to be somewhat competitive every year. This would be a huge problem in 2 years when we need to add a couple vets to really give the team the best chance at winning and we don’t have enough picks.

There is a reason you have that feeling!

 

[GeoBlue]

There won’t be a huge market for OA’s this year. But there might be a market for Swick.

Well, considering he is on a 126 goal pace ................ !!!

 

[rangersblues]

This is beginning to remind me of the 08-09 team after we hosted the Memorial Cup. They fought every game to the end. I think this team will make the playoffs though even with more sell off. This team has far more second year talent.

 

[HUSH10]

You hate to see stuff like this but like Taos Jordan for OS, it's the nature of the beast in the OHL. Wish him all the best.

 

[EvenSteven]

View attachment 914768
You hate to see stuff like this but like Taos Jordan for OS, it's the nature of the beast in the OHL. Wish him all the best.

I suppose this means there’s no Swick trade in the works anytime soon?

Or at all?

 

[HUSH10]

I suppose this means there’s no Swick trade in the works anytime soon?

Or at all?

Everyone has a price but by not waiting until the max OA deadline, this tells me Kitchener is happy with the 3 they got

 

[Coaches Coroner]

I don't think this means anything about a Swick trade or non trade. He's staying for now which makes sense because he could improve his value if he really produces...if he produces like last year then his value is probably the same as it would have been if we traded him in the off season. He'll be a good guy to have around the kids. I think he still gets moved at the deadline, but worrying about it at all at this point is very premature imo.

 

[GeoBlue]

I suppose this means there’s no Swick trade in the works anytime soon?

Or at all?

View attachment 914768
You hate to see stuff like this but like Taos Jordan for OS, it's the nature of the beast in the OHL. Wish him all the best.

So the question is..........where ever he goes..........will he be able to come back? After we trade Swick and/or Missile, that is.

 

[Krangers08]

I think he’ll land in the Q with a more offensive role. Writing was on the wall to me as a 4th line OA. Swick and Misaljevic add to much to the top 6
Quote from the record last week
“The 20-year-old overage winger had to swallow his pride a bit when he saw his name slotted on the fourth line on a rebuilding Rangers squad this season”.

 

[EvenSteven]

I don't think this means anything about a Swick trade or non trade. He's staying for now which makes sense because he could improve his value if he really produces...if he produces like last year then his value is probably the same as it would have been if we traded him in the off season. He'll be a good guy to have around the kids. I think he still gets moved at the deadline, but worrying about it at all at this point is very premature imo.

I hope so. Because standing pat with these three as our OA’s for the duration is a mistake. Sure, everything you said about having Swick around is true.

However, the Rehkopf deal brought a lot of picks back but our draft cupboard was totally depleted. The picks that came back in the Rehkopf trade only brought us back to sea level. We’ll need to have a lot healthier draft cupboard going forward if we want to contend in a year or two. And the only assets I see that steers us in that direction is Swick and Andonovski.

So the question is..........where ever he goes..........will he be able to come back? After we trade Swick and/or Missile, that is.

Only if he clears waivers across the board. But I also suspect he winds up in the Q.

 

[K2]

I suppose this means there’s no Swick trade in the works anytime soon?

Or at all?

By the deadline, any contenders coveting our OAs as upgrades to their roster OAs may well offer to swap players and add value in return as seen before along the Xhekaj for Mutter + picks, Serpa + picks for Moore, etc. tradition.

 

[EvenSteven]

By the deadline, any contenders coveting our OAs as upgrades to their roster OAs may well offer to swap players and add value in return in the Xhekaj for Mutter + picks, Serpa + picks for Moore, etc. tradition.

The best case scenario would be a Xhekaj type deal where an OA D comes back as a throw in - assuming Andonovski is dealt.

 

[digicamo]

I hope so. Because standing pat with these three as our OA’s for the duration is a mistake. Sure, everything you said about having Swick around is true.

However, the Rehkopf deal brought a lot of picks back but our draft cupboard was totally depleted. The picks that came back in the Rehkopf trade only brought us back to sea level. We’ll need to have a lot healthier draft cupboard going forward if we want to contend in a year or two. And the only assets I see that steers us in that direction is Swick and Andonovski.


Only if he clears waivers across the board. But I also suspect he winds up in the Q.

You are correct about us needing more picks but there just isn’t really a market for OA forwards and Swick will have a big year but it’s not like he’s an OA that will put up 50 and 50 and it really goes on this pace we might get something minuscule for him.

 

[Ref Hannah]

I suppose this means there’s no Swick trade in the works anytime soon?

Or at all?

To me this speaks more to the lack of marketability for Parsons and Missile. If I'm on the other side of the table I'm going to force MM's hand a little and make him wait for a bit.

 

[EvenSteven]

To me this speaks more to the lack of marketability for Parsons and Missile. If I'm on the other side of the table I'm going to force MM's hand a little and make him wait for a bit.

That could be part of MM’s strategy as well. If there’s a team all in on Swick but is trying to low ball us, releasing Pug and letting it be known we aren’t in a hurry to get down to three OA’s could light a fire under prospective trade partners.

 

[Gondrex]

Now that we know that Pugliese is gone, will be interesting to see which player provides the spark to the ??-Mercer-Bottineau line. There's not much there at the moment through 6 games. Maybe Arquette when he heals ? Headrick when he heals ?

 

[rangersblues]

I suppose this means there’s no Swick trade in the works anytime soon?

Or at all?

I think that's a pretty good assumption. I think Pugs being released was also done out of respect for him so he can find another landing spot or get on with furthering his education.

With the OA market so saturated it may be in the Rangers best interest to keep Swick around so he can help with the development of the young players instead of trading him for a couple of insignificant draft picks. Good chance he doesn't get moved at all.

 

[Ward Cornell]

I suppose this means there’s no Swick trade in the works anytime soon?

Or at all?

Or an OA coming back...opens up the trade possibilities for more teams to be involved.

 

[OnlyUpFromHere49]

Seeing Pugliese go is really getting to me… was such a fun player to watch and a true heart and soul player on and off the ice.

Would be great to see him in the building the next home stand and the fans can give him a great ovation. One I personally think he deserves.

 

[TheBlueMonster]

To me this speaks more to the lack of marketability for Parsons and Missile. If I'm on the other side of the table I'm going to force MM's hand a little and make him wait for a bit.

This is where I land as well.

With Parsons, I think he could be an upgrade on some teams goalies who are going for it but its marginal at best. I think he's our goalie for the year and im okay with that.

Missle, I am still not sold on him at all. Back half of last season and playoffs the guy was invisible. He has some offense to his game but I don't believe a team going for it will look at him as an upgrade. I'd rather have an OA D for depth then have an OA forward who is wildly inconsistent.

Very sad to see pug go. I had thought before last seaason he might be gone but he won me over. He seamed like the perfect kind of OA for this team. There is also a small chance that he requested this. I could understand him being frustrated with what looks to be a lack of playing time moving forward. He's got a future on the line still.

He'll be missed.


Really hope we start to see more from Mercer moving forward. Now that the OA situation is dealt with the pressure on some of these bubble players is on to start finding a role.

 

[LostRangers]

Or an OA coming back...opens up the trade possibilities for more teams to be involved.

Maybe the thinking is to hold Swick until a contender recognizes their current OA group isn’t producing as hoped or expected. Then they come a callin’. Agree with ES…we need to overstock our picks cupboard for our go for it year.

 

[Gondrex]

By the trade deadline, the current surplus of OA's will be long gone. Swick was a PPG player last season. There aren't many 6'-6" guys in this league to begin with, let alone able to put up those points with that size. Good chance he improves on last year's numbers in his OA year too. If all goes to plan, there should be interest there.

 

[Ref Hannah]

Maybe the thinking is to hold Swick until a contender recognizes their current OA group isn’t producing as hoped or expected. Then they come a callin’. Agree with ES…we need to overstock our picks cupboard for our go for it year.

To your point...even an injury would tip the scales in our favor!