Kitchener Rangers 2024-25 Season Thread, Part II

[Generalsupdates]

Chicago got crushed 5-1 tonight.

Now 6-14
8 points in 18 games
-5

Hopefully he doesn't read the hfboards posts about how bad he is when deciding where to go!

 

[Jives]

Hopefully he doesn't read the hfboards posts about how bad he is when deciding where to go!

He is bad because he is away on a garbage team. Needs to come home and play for one of the best junior coaches around right now.

 

[EvenSteven]

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.

Take no chances. I trade Ando this year. We could replace his minutes next year by trading for a less expensive OA D. That guy won’t be Ando, but he’d be good enough once you factor in Reid, Dirracolo, and Campbell being a year older and that much better.

I don’t go the conditional route. I want all the picks up front. My Ando comparable is Jorian Donovan (I know, broken record player). That was 2x2nds. 4x3rds. 2x4ths. We get that and we’re good. A team might try to make two of those 3rds conditional on an OA season. No thanks. Get them all unconditionally.

 

[EvenSteven]

He is bad because he is away on a garbage team. Needs to come home and play for one of the best junior coaches around right now.

I wouldn’t call him bad. He’s just in a worse situation than if he reported here.

Look at Pridham. His numbers were unimpressive out west. He comes here under this system, playing with quality players, against tougher competition, and he’s thriving. Chicago scouts are happy he’s here and not out west.

A player of Valentini’s calibre would thrive here as well.

 

[Ward Cornell]

I wouldn’t call him bad. He’s just in a worse situation than if he reported here.

Look at Pridham. His numbers were unimpressive out west. He comes here under this system, playing with quality players, against tougher competition, and he’s thriving. Chicago scouts are happy he’s here and not out west.

A player of Valentini’s calibre would thrive here as well.

I suspect Chicago might be making a contract offer to Pridham, then a decision will need to made to have him in the AHL or here as an O.A.. I know it's a small sample size but I see Pridham getting a long look in the A next season.

 

[EvenSteven]

I suspect Chicago might be making a contract offer to Pridham, then a decision will need to made to have him in the AHL or here as an O.A.. I know it's a small sample size but I see Pridham getting a long look in the A next season.

Makes you wonder if we’re talking about him that way if he doesn’t come to the OHL this year.

 

[Ward Cornell]

Makes you wonder if we’re talking about him that way if he doesn’t come to the OHL this year.

Perhaps I'm 100% wrong on this but the BCHL seemed to me that it was just a place for players who wanted to kill a cpl seasons before getting into the NCAA. No real real traditional championship, no national exposure and low attendance.

 

[OnlyUpFromHere]

Perhaps I'm 100% wrong on this but the BCHL seemed to me that it was just a place for players who wanted to kill a cpl seasons before getting into the NCAA. No real real traditional championship, no national exposure and low attendance.

Their entire model was a place to play in Canada to hold their NCAA eligibility, along with breaking off on Hockey Canada.

Fast forward to today, that entire model has been completely blown away.

 

[EvenSteven]

Their entire model was a place to play in Canada to hold their NCAA eligibility, along with breaking off on Hockey Canada.

Fast forward to today, that entire model has been completely blown away.

You’d think that more players with pedigree would’ve made the jump from that league to the CHL by now.

 

[OnlyUpFromHere]

You’d think that more players with pedigree would’ve made the jump from that league to the CHL by now.

Oh I don't think it's done yet, there are definitely more coming. Maybe waiting until after Christmas? Come home and then just never go back.

 

[Fastpace]

There is no doubt in anyone's mind, Kitchener is going for it next year, but what's the plan ? This is the time of the year for Rangers GM MM, to put his mask on, and keep his next year's cards close to his chest. The least other GMs know of his next year's plan, the better are his chances to hang on and add for his team going forward. This is when things will happen, from now to the deadline, for next year's Rangers, summer and falls will be tweaking time only

 

[All the Answers]

How did Reid show last night, I couldn't watch the game. He had a bit of a stinker in the first one (and I'm not just talking the 2 late penalties). Hoping for his sake he was a bit better last night.

 

[Gondrex]

He is bad because he is away on a garbage team. Needs to come home and play for one of the best junior coaches around right now.

If there's only one card left for an '08 (or did I get that wrong ?) they likely should also see if Jack Hextall is interested in coming in the near term. Of course there is the hope that Valentini does choose Kitchener, but what if Youngstown joins the OHL next season? As I had mentioned about a month ago, I think it is still up in the air on which team would own Hextall's rights. At this point I would be betting that Youngstown does, hence perhaps the urgency to also find out about Hextall.....if he has any interest at all.

Ultimately Valentini is choice no. 1, but if not intending to come this season, then maybe there is a choice no. 2 that shouldn't be ignored. I'm sure MM is looking at all angles.

Yes, the above takes in a lot of what if's and are either even interested, but if it's true that next year's schedule gets drawn up within the next 4-5 weeks, then I'm assuming they'd be trying to work on this potential entry into the league thing extra hard if the intent was for next season already. So any movement by Hextall - perhaps odds are slim - would need to be determined soon.

 

[EvenSteven]

If there's only one card left for an '08 (or did I get that wrong ?) they likely should also see if Jack Hextall is interested in coming in the near term. Of course there is the hope that Valentini does choose Kitchener, but what if Youngstown joins the OHL next season? As I had mentioned about a month ago, I think it is still up in the air on which team would own Hextall's rights. At this point I would be betting that Youngstown does, hence perhaps the urgency to also find out about Hextall.....if he has any interest at all.

Ultimately Valentini is choice no. 1, but if not intending to come this season, then maybe there is a choice no. 2 that shouldn't be ignored. I'm sure MM is looking at all angles.

Yes, the above takes in a lot of what if's and are either even interested, but if it's true that next year's schedule gets drawn up within the next 4-5 weeks, then I'm assuming they'd be trying to work on this potential entry into the league thing extra hard if the intent was for next season already. So any movement by Hextall - perhaps odds are slim - would need to be determined soon.

I would assume that any merger into the OHL by Youngstown or Muskegon, would come under the OHL’s conditions.

I would assume the OHL would have conditions saying that any players on either team whose rights are currently owned by an OHL team, would remain property of those OHL teams. Then, Youngstown and Muskegon merge or join the NHL under expansion rules. Meaning, there will be an expansion draft, etc., etc.

I would also assume though, based on the NHL’s recent expansion success, that there will be agreements made to ensure that these expansion teams would have success early. Meaning, current OHL teams would have pretty short protected lists. That will be the trade-off in losing the rights of their current players.

Considering the specific situation regarding Hextall. I would assume he remains Ranger property and if he wants to remain in Youngstown because of reported connections to the city, then I would suppose Kitchener could trade his rights there.