Kitchener Rangers 2024-25 Season Thread, Part I

[Matttheleaf]

Hopefully nothing comes back to bite us and we can roster a full squad on Tuesday.

 

[GeoBlue]

Hopefully nothing comes back to bite us and we can roster a full squad on Tuesday.

I don't think there will be any suspensions. (Unless they review the hit on Missile) The refs were basically handing out misconducts to get the players off the ice.

 

[EvenSteven]

I don't think there will be any suspensions. (Unless they review the hit on Missile) The refs were basically handing out misconducts to get the players off the ice.

True. Not even one fight. Just a lot of roughing up each other.

 

[Coaches Coroner]

Not sure I've seen a Sarnia game where I haven't wondered how on earth Letang was picked to coach the world junior team not that long ago.

 

[rangersblues]

Not sure I've seen a Sarnia game where I haven't wondered how on earth Letang was picked to coach the world junior team not that long ago.

Surprising choice indeed

 

[RangerNation]

Not sure I've seen a Sarnia game where I haven't wondered how on earth Letang was picked to coach the world junior team not that long ago.

His in game line changes only made things worse for Sarnia today. I'll never get over him not playing Rehkopf more last year.

 

[Krangers08]

Noticed they had Dirracolo line up on the wing for the draw following the cross check.

 

[Jives]

Pridham signed. Going to add Ellis as this seems to be gaining traction.

Forwards - 17 (plus Cameron)
Defence - 8
Goalies - 2 (plus Edwards)

OA - 2
Swick
Misa
2005 - 3
Mercer
Grisolia
Pridham
2006 - 4
Ellinas
Bott
Hlacar
Vermeulen
2007 - 6
Lam
Romano
Arquette
Labrash
Ellis
Stark
2008 - 2 + Jr.B
Headrick
Anstis
Cameron (Jr. .B card)

2005 - 2
Ando
Chromiak (import)
2006 - 2
Campbell
Dirracolo
2007 - 3
Reid
MacNeil
Schneider
2008 - 1
Bilecki

OA - 1
Parsons
2007 - 1
Edwards (signed but not with team)
2008 - 1
Schaubel

Something has to give soon on the forward decisions and who is traded.

 

[All the Answers]

Pridham signed. Going to add Ellis as this seems to be gaining traction.

Forwards - 16 (plus Cameron)
Defence - 8
Goalies - 2 (plus Edwards)

OA - 2
Swick
Misa
2005 - 2
Mercer
Grisolia
2006 - 4
Ellinas
Bott
Hlacar
Vermeulen
2007 - 6
Lam
Romano
Arquette
Labrash
Ellis
Stark
2008 - 2 + Jr.B
Headrick
Anstis
Cameron (Jr. .B card)

2005 - 2
Ando
Chromiak (import)
2006 - 2
Campbell
Dirracolo
2007 - 3
Reid
MacNeil
Schneider
2008 - 1
Bilecki

OA - 1
Parsons
2007 - 1
Edwards (signed but not with team)
2008 - 1
Schaubel

Something has to give soon on the forward decisions and who is traded.

You're missing Pridham in the 05 fwd list. It's 17 plus Cameron

 

[Jives]

You're missing Pridham in the 05 fwd list. It's 17 plus Cameron

Correct…updated.

 

[EvenSteven]

I think we’ve used 23 cards to date.

Bilecki has used an A card.

Unsure on Schaubel. Under the new rules, I believe we have to be down to 4 08’s on A cards by Jan 1st? He’s appeared in 6 games. Once he hits game 11, I believe he’ll be on an A card. This may be why they are holding his starts back? To hold off on using an A card on him til they have to? In the event an 08 or two unexpectedly reports? If games he’s the backup count, then he’s the 24th A card.

Headrick hasn’t played a regular season game. Hasn’t used a A card yet.

Anstis hasn’t used a card yet.

Cameron is not on an A card.

 

[EastAveRangers]

I think the question would be, is Haeden Ellis worth even using a player card on? He isn’t a top prospect. They have Evan Headrick coming back at some point. Avry Antstis is nearing a return. Mattheas Stark will be back at some point. Eduard Sale has an outside shot of being returned. Point being, there isn’t room for him. I get it, he’s an 07 which is what they’re trying to build around. But if he’s adamant on the NCAA route, he wouldn’t even be sticking it out in the OHL anyways, so what’s the point?

 

[GeoBlue]

Something has to give soon on the forward decisions and who is traded.

I have the feeling that a lot more teams are going to be in this predicament and thus trading is going to be difficult. Spots in other leagues will have to be found, or in some cases, outright releases.

 

[EvenSteven]

I think the question would be, is Haeden Ellis worth even using a player card on? He isn’t a top prospect. They have Evan Headrick coming back at some point. Avry Antstis is nearing a return. Mattheas Stark will be back at some point. Eduard Sale has an outside shot of being returned. Point being, there isn’t room for him. I get it, he’s an 07 which is what they’re trying to build around. But if he’s adamant on the NCAA route, he wouldn’t even be sticking it out in the OHL anyways, so what’s the point?

Better to have and not need than need and not have.

Ellis may not be a top prospect, but he may be better than what we have on the roster now. As an NCAA commit, we assume he slipped in the OHL draft. And he was good enough to play a handful of games with the NTDP last year. That’s not nuthin’.

If he comes, it’ll likely be with the knowledge that he can play in this lineup ahead of certain roster players. No doubt MM has had eyes on Ellis this year and will have made that call. I doubt he leaves to come here on a hope he can “make the team”. Assurances had to have been made.

So if he, or any other drafted prospect for that matter, does come, expect him to make our team better.

Since the rule change came down, MM is probably taking in a ton of USHL, OJHL, and NTDP games and keeping in contact with players we hold the rights to.

 

[EvenSteven]

I think the question would be, is Haeden Ellis worth even using a player card on? He isn’t a top prospect. They have Evan Headrick coming back at some point. Avry Antstis is nearing a return. Mattheas Stark will be back at some point. Eduard Sale has an outside shot of being returned. Point being, there isn’t room for him. I get it, he’s an 07 which is what they’re trying to build around. But if he’s adamant on the NCAA route, he wouldn’t even be sticking it out in the OHL anyways, so what’s the point?

It’s also up in the air how things will play out regarding when these commits plan to start their NCAA career.

London’s Montgomery and Pridham aren’t committed to start their NCAA stints until their OA season. Ellis in his 19 year old season.

These commitment were made before this “whole new world” was created by the new ruling.

It’s possible that players will now plan to stay in the OHL until their OA season, then go NCAA. It’s already been said that MM will work on Pridham to play his OA season here next year, kicking his NCAA commitment down the road a year.

No doubt if Ellis reports, they’ll work on him to play his 19 year old year here if not his OA season. If he is not “a top prospect”, he may be better served playing out his OHL eligibility before starting at NCAA.

 

[Ward Cornell]

I think we’ve used 23 cards to date.

Bilecki has used an A card.

Unsure on Schaubel. Under the new rules, I believe we have to be down to 4 08’s on A cards by Jan 1st? He’s appeared in 6 games. Once he hits game 11, I believe he’ll be on an A card. This may be why they are holding his starts back? To hold off on using an A card on him til they have to? In the event an 08 or two unexpectedly reports? If games he’s the backup count, then he’s the 24th A card.

Headrick hasn’t played a regular season game. Hasn’t used a A card yet.

Anstis hasn’t used a card yet.

Cameron is not on an A card.

Headrick got injured during the second game of the season in Windsor.

 

[EvenSteven]

I have the feeling that a lot more teams are going to be in this predicament and thus trading is going to be difficult. Spots in other leagues will have to be found, or in some cases, outright releases.

The Rangers have taken flyers on multiple NCAA commits. Outside of the usual suspects, I’m not sure many more teams have taken as many.

The majority of the OHL likely won’t have multiple mid season reports this year. That means we should be able to find landing spots for our excess skaters.

I also think we might see more 16 year olds than we thought relegated to JrB this year.

Cameron is good enough to play full time here but likely stays on a B card.

I assume Anstis has to play here since as a US player, he cannot play JrB. Or at least that used to be the rule.

Headrick may be faced with playing at JrB once he comes back. He’ll need minutes and how’s he going to get them? If Jussi dresses his 12 best forwards today, he may not be one of them. Especially when you know he’s going to go with size in the bottom six. Tough to expect a 16 year old to start his rookie season near the end of that season and excel. Once he comes back, which is still a ways down the road, there won’t be much regular season left.

Headrick got injured during the second game of the season in Windsor.

Ok. Thought it was preseason. The OHL has him at 0 games and he isn’t on the roster for that Windsor game.

 

[Rangers True Blue]

More than impressed by Pridham.
Great pick up.

Already making an impact and he's barely been here long enough to get a feel for the team.

 

[EvenSteven]

Headrick got injured during the second game of the season in Windsor.

Just looked it up. He was hurt vs Oshawa in the 5th preseason game.

Kitchener Rangers 2024-25 Season Thread, Part I

Hlacar, Parsons, Dirracolo, Stark, Anstis are out tonight. schaubel gets the start

forums.hfboards.com

 

[Ward Cornell]

.

 

[Rangers True Blue]

Better to have and not need than need and not have.

Ellis may not be a top prospect, but he may be better than what we have on the roster now. As an NCAA commit, we assume he slipped in the OHL draft. And he was good enough to play a handful of games with the NTDP last year. That’s not nuthin’.

If he comes, it’ll likely be with the knowledge that he can play in this lineup ahead of certain roster players. No doubt MM has had eyes on Ellis this year and will have made that call. I doubt he leaves to come here on a hope he can “make the team”. Assurances had to have been made.

So if he, or any other drafted prospect for that matter, does come, expect him to make our team better.

Since the rule change came down, MM is probably taking in a ton of USHL, OJHL, and NTDP games and keeping in contact with players we hold the rights to.

Including Valentini. How would that change the use of other young players? Valentini would certainly amp up the top 6.

 

[Ward Cornell]

Just looked it up. He was hurt vs Oshawa in the 5th preseason game.

Kitchener Rangers 2024-25 Season Thread, Part I

Hlacar, Parsons, Dirracolo, Stark, Anstis are out tonight. schaubel gets the start

forums.hfboards.com

Right you are!!

 

[Gondrex]

Yes I'm pretty sure it was pre-season vs Oshawa.
This from the Record:

"Sep 9, 2024 — Kitchener Rangers top prospect Evan Headrick has been sidelined indefinitely after fracturing his wrist Sunday in an exhibition game against the Oshawa...."

I believe it may have been Bedkowski (now with Owen Sound) who did the damage. Someone can correct me if this is wrong.