Kitchener Rangers 2024-25 Season Thread, Part I

[K2]

Michael Hage was a standout in the weekend games I attended on a recent trip and off to a great start as a Michigan freshman.

 

[EvenSteven]

Michael Hage was a standout in the weekend games I attended on a recent trip and off to a great start as a Michigan freshman.View attachment 919726

As a Rangers fan, I’m not the least bit interested.

But as a Habs fan, F-ing A!!

 

[K2]

As a Rangers fan, I’m not the least bit interested.

I'm always interested in watching any great players, first round picks and my interest was piqued a bit more on Hage having (some of) his backstory

Some interesting conjecture among seasoned observers about how the probable relaxation of NCAA rules will affect the various leagues. The rapid erosion of talent in USHL, BCHL & AJHL seems assured to to the benefit of CHL teams but there may be routine early graduation from the CHL for 18YO NCAA commits, CHL scholarship impacts, NHL ELC impacts/delays and pretty much a requisite reorganization of all things contractual, likely requiring a phase-in period.

 

[Offside by a mile]

Observations from this weekend and to Echo some past post's.



All of Macneil, Bilecki and Schnieder are ready to play at this level. I was in attendance for Fri/Sun and Watched Sat on TV. My biggest surprise truthfully was how well Schneider played on Sunday. He looked calm and big/physical all while having enough foot speed to not get beat. I only say he was the biggest surprise as we haven't seen as much of him lately and i guess i expected him to be a bit behind the others. News flash- he's not.



Point is Chomiak has made Ando expendable IMO. It's not that i don't like Ando- but trading Rehkopf away was a clear indication the management doesn't see us as contenders this year and quite frankly neither do I.



Chromiak-Dirracolo

Reid-Campbell

Bilecki/Schnieder/Macneil ( rotation)



I think all of us would be happy to watch that each night.



I will say this with the utmost respect. If we hang onto Ando until after Christmas and the return is not a 2008 1st rounder it will be an absolute fail in developing these young Defensemen( Why not trade hm now? ) . And then what if it's a player returned after that? The new 2008 would be in a log jam somewhere.



Currently having -Antis/Headrick/Arquette/Cameron all not playing up Front

And 2 of Bilecki/Schnieder/Macneil not playing on the back end.



I know we have some injuries up Front. But we need these kids playing with they're all healthy.



Thoughts?

 

[All the Answers]

Observations from this weekend and to Echo some past post's.



All of Macneil, Bilecki and Schnieder are ready to play at this level. I was in attendance for Fri/Sun and Watched Sat on TV. My biggest surprise truthfully was how well Schneider played on Sunday. He looked calm and big/physical all while having enough foot speed to not get beat. I only say he was the biggest surprise as we haven't seen as much of him lately and i guess i expected him to be a bit behind the others. News flash- he's not.



Point is Chomiak has made Ando expendable IMO. It's not that i don't like Ando- but trading Rehkopf away was a clear indication the management doesn't see us as contenders this year and quite frankly neither do I.



Chromiak-Dirracolo

Reid-Campbell

Bilecki/Schnieder/Macneil ( rotation)



I think all of us would be happy to watch that each night.



I will say this with the utmost respect. If we hang onto Ando until after Christmas and the return is not a 2008 1st rounder it will be an absolute fail in developing these young Defensemen( Why not trade hm now? ) . And then what if it's a player returned after that? The new 2008 would be in a log jam somewhere.



Currently having -Antis/Headrick/Arquette/Cameron all not playing up Front

And 2 of Bilecki/Schnieder/Macneil not playing on the back end.



I know we have some injuries up Front. But we need these kids playing with they're all healthy.



Thoughts?

If we get an 08 first rounder back they will likely be better than almost everyone else on that list of young prospects you have. I don't say no to that. It will get figured out.

 

[Offside by a mile]

If we get an 08 first rounder back they will likely be better than almost everyone else on that list of young prospects you have. I don't say no to that. It will get figured out.

What does "it will get figured out" mean?? Having a 17 yr old Arquette sitting in the stands? How does that make sense? Who's coming out of the lineup to get our current 1st rounder ( Headrick) in when he's healthy?



And if said 1st rounder returned is a D-man now we have our 2nd rounder Bilecki in the stands again? I'm not following the " it will get figured out" plan.



You have Macneil spend an entire season out of the OHL developing to be ready for his 17yr old season, you use a 2nd round pick on Bilecki and convince him to play in the OHL instead of heading to NCAA and you lure a 17yr old from Alberta " Schnieder" away from home to sit in the stands every night. Does that make sense to anyone in here?



Maybe I’m more of a planner but i wouldn't want a GM that simply thinks " Oh we'll figure it out"



The only way i see it working is if we continue to get a string of injuries. If we get healthy this is a complete mess.

 

[EvenSteven]

If we get an 08 first rounder back they will likely be better than almost everyone else on that list of young prospects you have. I don't say no to that. It will get figured out.

It might be a stretch expecting an 08 1st for Andonovski. It could happen but I’d be surprised.

It’s been laid out on here before that of the contenders this year, Brampton and Kingston don’t have their 1sts.

London probably doesn’t trade Hawery as he was a “London or bust” player.

Apparently Brady Smith isn’t going anywhere in Oshawa as the family has moved there and a younger brother is playing his minor hockey there.

Now you’re looking at Barrie (Vaughn). 5ths overall don’t get traded often but it’s possible due to their thin draft cupboard.

Brantford (O’Donnell). This might be a possibility, but if Brantford wants to contend as well next year, depending how they feel about this player, they may decide that he’d be an important part of their team next year, and only do picks deals to improve their team. And they could do that easily because of their very deep draft cupboard.

Saginaw (Zhilkin). They reportedly want to contend again this year, so they’ll probably have to move him because their draft cupboard is completely empty. But do the Rangers want yet another tiny forward? (5’9” 160).

There will likely be multiple top end forwards that will hit the market by the deadline who’ll draw a first round pick ahead of an Andonovski. Romani is a good example.

I’m not expecting a 1st but I’d take one if the deal is there. But I’d be just as happy with the Jorian Donovan return.


 

[Offside by a mile]

It might be a stretch expecting an 08 1st for Andonovski. It could happen but I’d be surprised.

It’s been laid out on here before that of the contenders this year, Brampton and Kingston don’t have their 1sts.

London probably doesn’t trade Hawery as he was a “London or bust” player.

Apparently Brady Smith isn’t going anywhere in Oshawa as the family has moved there and a younger brother is playing his minor hockey there.

Now you’re looking at Barrie (Vaughn). 5ths overall don’t get traded often but it’s possible due to their thin draft cupboard.

Brantford (O’Donnell). This might be a possibility, but if Brantford wants to contend as well next year, depending how they feel about this player, they may decide that he’d be an important part of their team next year, and only do picks deals to improve their team. And they could do that easily because of their very deep draft cupboard.

Saginaw (Zhilkin). They reportedly want to contend again this year, so they’ll probably have to move him because their draft cupboard is completely empty. But do the Rangers want yet another tiny forward? (5’9” 160).

There will likely be multiple top end forwards that will hit the market by the deadline who’ll draw a first round pick ahead of an Andonovski. Romani is a good example.

I’m not expecting a 1st but I’d take one if the deal is there. But I’d be just as happy with the Jorian Donovan return.


So bascially we should be trading Ando as soon as anyone meets our ask, is what i'm reading.

 

[EvenSteven]

So bascially we should be trading Ando as soon as anyone meets our ask, is what i'm reading.

Well, if the 1st is Vaughn (not holding my breath there), or O’Donnell, I’d wait.

But in all honesty, outside of those two, we might be able to do more with a picks deal now than wait on a 1st rounder just because he’s a first rounder.

I mean, if that first rounder was Zhilkin, taken at the end of the 1st, I’d just as soon take the Donovan return and use a part of that return to bring in an equivalent player to Zhilkin down the road.

The Donovan return was 2x2nds, 4x3rds, and 2x4ths. Arcuri cost us 2x2nds and 3x3rds.

 

[Krangers08]

Does anyone remember what the conditional 12th becomes from the Evan Maillet trade?