Kitchener Rangers 2024-25 Season Thread, Part II

[EvenSteven]

All great points and there would be many discussions if Hunter B was sent back.

Hopefully by bringing this up I didn't provide us with any false hope or sense that it will happen. I just happened to see some tweets about him and I looked at his stats and thought he could maybe be a guy that gets sent back.

No false hope. Just a good topic for discussion.

 

[Rangers True Blue]

A lot of myths come to fruition. If the Rangers do manage to get Valentini to report it would be a huge feather in MM's hat. In my case a crow feather. It would mean I am half wrong and half right. Better than I did in school.

You're the best!

 

[Rangers True Blue]

Should Hunter B be returned:

I think MM moves Swick or Miseljevic then stands pat. Especially if he can get fair value for one of the two. He’ll feel that the cupboard will be stocked enough.

But if it were up to me, I still move Andonovski, and I move Hunter B.

Ando is one of the top 19 year old D who’ll be available if and when he hits the market.

If Hunter B was returned, and hits the market, I believe he’d be the #1 OA available. That’s Wakely return. Maybe more. I take that value primarily in picks.

I believe with four quality OA’s on the team, GM’s out there wait us out to get one on the cheap at the deadline. But Hunter B is a game breaker who’d be in demand. He’d be the easiest to get fair value for.

The return for Ando and Hunter B restocks the cupboard. We keep the rest of the OA’s, trade off an excess forward or two as well.

That lineup still makes noise in the post season. And we still stick to the plan.

Exactly, if Hunter B is returned, there should be a team set on going to the Memorial Cup (yes, even London) that would love to add them to their top D pairing and that should garner more picks. STAY THE COURSE, MM.

 

[bobber]

All great points and there would be many discussions if Hunter B was sent back.

Hopefully by bringing this up I didn't provide us with any false hope or sense that it will happen. I just happened to see some tweets about him and I looked at his stats and thought he could maybe be a guy that gets sent back.

I think you made a great point on Hunter. Not sure how well he is performing. I would think the team would want him to learn the defensive end of their system first as a young player. Even though most highly skilled OHL defensemen look great in this league they will struggle to keep up with the size and pace in pro. No longer playing against 16-17 year olds.Hard position to earn a spot.

 

[EvenSteven]

Exactly, if Hunter B is returned, there should be a team set on going to the Memorial Cup (yes, even London) that would love to add them to their top D pairing and that should garner more picks. STAY THE COURSE, MM.

I have a feeling that if we’re ok with dealing with London, and we should be because I trade my assets to the highest bidder no matter who that is, I think they’d be more interested in Andonovski than Hunter B.

They already have Dickinson as their #1 offensive D option with Bonk a close second. There may not be enough puck to go around for Hunter, despite the attractiveness of uniting him with brother Henry.

There are multiple teams in the east who’d jump at the chance to pick up Hunter if he were ever returned and hit the market.

 

[Gondrex]

I have a feeling that if we’re ok with dealing with London, and we should be because I trade my assets to the highest bidder no matter who that is, I think they’d be more interested in Andonovski than Hunter B.

They already have Dickinson as their #1 offensive D option with Bonk a close second. There may not be enough puck to go around for Hunter, despite the attractiveness of uniting him with brother Henry.

There are multiple teams in the east who’d jump at the chance to pick up Hunter if he were ever returned and hit the market.

I'll just throw another one out there for the heck of it.

Is Erie going for it or not ? Looking at their roster, seems like the time is right. Wouldn't Ando be a nice fit on the blueline to enhance Schaefer's game - even more - just like he did last year for HB ?

Problem. They have little to nothing to offer in the way of draft picks. However, just yesterday they signed two young promising D-men in the way of Michael D'Alessio and Oliver Turner. Now D'Alessio is an '08, so he can't be traded this season, but the 6'-5" 194lb Turner can (he's an '07). How about swapping an experienced hard-nose d-man for a young prospect ? You can work out the rest of the picks to make it doable.

I admit I have no clue what Turner brings to the table. He was drafted in the 4th round, and was also drafted by Youngstown as a side note......and now that I've posted this it will likely never happen anyway .

Edit: Also, acknowledging that there is a logjam of '07's on this team already, so MM would have to some how "monetize" some of these '07's by way of other trades anyway.

 

[EvenSteven]

I'll just throw another one out there for the heck of it.

Is Erie going for it or not ? Looking at their roster, seems like the time is right. Wouldn't Ando be a nice fit on the blueline to enhance Schaefer's game - even more - just like he did last year for HB ?

Problem. They have little to nothing to offer in the way of draft picks. However, just yesterday they signed two young promising D-men in the way of Michael D'Alessio and Oliver Turner. Now D'Alessio is an '08, so he can't be traded this season, but the 6'-5" 194lb Turner can (he's an '07). How about swapping an experienced hard-nose d-man for a young prospect ? You can work out the rest of the picks to make it doable.

I admit I have no clue what Turner brings to the table. He was drafted in the 4th round, and was also drafted by Youngstown as a side note......and now that I've posted this it will likely never happen anyway .

He has good bloodlines. (Glen Murray is his uncle). But committed to Colgate for 26-27. I would hope he’d delay that commitment for a year then make the jump.

Add a conditional pick or two in the event he jumps early?

If Turner trumps one of 07’s MacNiel or Schneider, than it makes sense.

 

[RB76]

Even though we're playing like a top-tier team now, I think most would agree that come January when teams start adding things will change considerably.

I think the best value maybe in selling high and buying low to replace Ando, Swick, Misil or Parsons.

 

[Gondrex]

Even though we're playing like a top-tier team now, I think most would agree that come January when teams start adding things will change considerably.

I think the best value maybe in selling high and buying low to replace Ando, Swick, Misil or Parsons.

A recent MM Quote was "......We’ll make the best decisions for this group, but also for the future as well.”

So I guess the good news is that he still considers the future important. He hasn't lost sight of that. As CC mentioned in a previous post, once Rehkopf was traded, that should be a clear signal that this team is leaning more towards the sell side.

I guess my question would be what MM meant by making the best decision for this group as well. Perhaps he just saying that he stays the course and simply doesn't want to trade to the point he weakens this team too much (?)

 

[EvenSteven]

A recent MM Quote was "......We’ll make the best decisions for this group, but also for the future as well.”

So I guess the good news is that he still considers the future important. He hasn't lost sight of that. As CC mentioned in a previous post, once Rehkopf was traded, that should be a clear signal that this team sis leaning more towards the sell side.

I guess my question would be what MM meant by making the best decision for this group as well. Perhaps he just saying that he stays the course and simply doesn't want to trade to the point he weakens this team too much (?)

I figure it means we stay strong this year by doing a minor sell at the deadline.

I would assume that means only Ando is traded?

 

[Matttheleaf]

I figure it means we stay strong this year by doing a minor sell at the deadline.

I would assume that means only Ando is traded?

I could see us trading Swick as well if we get a lesser OA back as well.

 

[Jives]

I could see us trading Swick as well if we get a lesser OA back as well.

I’m open to all 4 being traded (remember we have 17F when healthy). I would hope atleast 2 are traded to give the kids more ice and also help the draft cupboard.

 

[Coaches Coroner]

A recent MM Quote was "......We’ll make the best decisions for this group, but also for the future as well.”

So I guess the good news is that he still considers the future important. He hasn't lost sight of that. As CC mentioned in a previous post, once Rehkopf was traded, that should be a clear signal that this team sis leaning more towards the sell side.

I guess my question would be what MM meant by making the best decision for this group as well. Perhaps he just saying that he stays the course and simply doesn't want to trade to the point he weakens this team too much (?)

Maybe a risk reward analysis on keeping an OA like Parsons. Weighing the return (whatever it would be) against having a great goalie supporting a young developing team. For example if it's 2 2nds, he trades him but if it's only 1 2nd, it's worth keeping him based on other assets we move for picks.

 

[Matttheleaf]

I’m open to all 4 being traded (remember we have 17F when healthy). I would hope atleast 2 are traded to give the kids more ice and also help the draft cupboard.

I don't know if all 4 will be traded. or maybe even just 2 of them if MM wants to play for the future and still for this season a little.

 

[EvenSteven]

…… and you have to get fair value. I doubt MM is going to give these OA’s away. And, with the glut of OA’s in this league this year, we may not be able to move them all for fair value based on demand.

I think, if we are lucky enough to move Andonovski and just one of the OA’s for fair value, our deadline is a success.

 

[Jives]

If we are competing next year do we take a chance and keep Ando? I’m not 100% sold on him making the AHL next year. Personally I trade him as we can’t take the risk he doesn’t come back. But we need to built into the trade that if Ando comes back next season 2x 2nds is added….or whatever the value is.

 

[OnlyUpFromHere]

It's worth noting Brzustewicz cleared waivers as part of the November OA cutdown (to 4) so Kitchener doesn't own his rights.

Believe if it came to it, he could go wherever he wanted to, just like Josh Bloom did last year with Saginaw.

 

[Jives]

It's worth noting Brzustewicz cleared waivers as part of the November OA cutdown (to 4) so Kitchener doesn't own his rights.

Believe if it came to it, he could go wherever he wanted to, just like Josh Bloom did last year with Saginaw.

Who is our 4th OA then?

 

[Matttheleaf]

If we are competing next year do we take a chance and keep Ando? I’m not 100% sold on him making the AHL next year. Personally I trade him as we can’t take the risk he doesn’t come back. But we need to built into the trade that if Ando comes back next season 2x 2nds is added….or whatever the value is.

I was thinking this as well. I saw other boards (primarily the London board) talking about how if they traded for Ando could they get him back next year as an OA. So I mean it is possible as we have seen more drafted OA's come back recently.