Kitchener Rangers 2024-25 Season Thread, Part IV

[EvenSteven]

Of course, there’s always the option that if you cannot get Valentini to sign here, you put your heads together with his camp and find a landing spot or two for him in the OHL that will meet his asks.

Then trade him for what the fair market value would be for a player of that caliber. That value would be probably more than double what we paid for his rights.

Lick our wounds and call it a good bit of business.

But I’d prefer he’d report here.

 

[rangersblues]

Of course, there’s always the option that if you cannot get Valentini to sign here, you put your heads together with his camp and find a landing spot or two for him in the OHL that will meet his asks.

Then trade him for what the fair market value would be for a player of that caliber. That value would be probably more than double what we paid for his rights.

Lick our wounds and call it a good bit of business.

But I’d prefer he’d report here.

Before the new NCAA agreement and another season of players developing at a high level under Jussi, I would have given Valentini a 10 - 15 % chance of reporting. Especially with the recent success of the Chicago USHL/Michigan pipeline in the NHL draft. Right now I'd say the chance of him reporting is 80%+.

 

[Jives]

I agree. I think it’s 80% minimum. It worked out great. He gets a good amount of ice at a good level of hockey in Chicago while the Rangers this year go for it this year. Next season not a doubt in my mind he steps into the top 6 and PP2 role. This team is solid next year but if everything falls into place they are going to be very good. Pridham could return. 3 imports to fill that finally hopefully will show up. We could have 1 to 4 flyers (Valentini and more) report. As good as some of our depth players are there might just not be any room for them. Then will add a bunch of picks for mem cup year. This team could be set to be very nice if things go our way.

 

[EvenSteven]

I agree. I think it’s 80% minimum. It worked out great. He gets a good amount of ice at a good level of hockey in Chicago while the Rangers this year go for it this year. Next season not a doubt in my mind he steps into the top 6 and PP2 role. This team is solid next year but if everything falls into place they are going to be very good. Pridham could return. 3 imports to fill that finally hopefully will show up. We could have 1 to 4 flyers (Valentini and more) report. As good as some of our depth players are there might just not be any room for them. Then will add a bunch of picks for mem cup year. This team could be set to be very nice if things go our way.

I could see a PP1 consisting of Ellinas, Romano, Humphreys, Reid and Valentini, provided Pridham graduates.

 

[BenchedGuy]

Predictions for tonight?
Predictions for the series?

I say tonight Rangers 5 - Flint 2

For Series I will give Flint one and say 4-1 Kitchener

 

[All the Answers]

Last night's 3 games were 10-ply compared to this.

 

[bobber]

Thought Rangers were tentative in that period. Handled the puck like a hot potato.

 

[RangerNation]

Thought Rangers were tentative in that period. Handled the puck like a hot potato.

And it continued!

 

[bobber]

And it continued!

Flint is a little older and has the edge on physicality.

 

[RangerNation]

Flint is a little older and has the edge on physicality.

+ Day. This was why I was less than excited on the matchup.

In the end, this team always finds a way to win. Less fireworks next game please.

 

[Fastpace]

Flint is a little older and has the edge on physicality.

As I am looking at the game replay, the Rangers looked very nervous for the first period and part of the second, they did start to relax after their first goal. Now that they have their first win behind, they should show more confidence in their plays from here to the end of the series. They'll be fine

 

[Rangers True Blue]

Flint is a little older and has the edge on physicality.

I thought the same but the boys don't back down and Hlacar had the green light to spread his love around.

 

[Rangers True Blue]

+ Day. This was why I was less than excited on the matchup.

In the end, this team always finds a way to win. Less fireworks next game please.

Lots of "fireworks" in the first period.

 

[Rangers True Blue]

Rangers played tight for quite a while. The coaches expected Flint to play a heavy game but I'm not sure anyone thought that both sides would pummel each other.

Jussi wasn't overly pleased with Rangers play and noted that tweaks will be made for Sunday's game. Said they can't play the same way on Sunday.

That goal by Romano in OT was a beauty. With his speed and great hands, Day didn't stand a chance. And on that note, they need more traffic in front of Day. We will see if that changes on Sunday.

 

[Jives]

I thought the same but the boys don't back down and Hlacar had the green light to spread his love around.

Thought he had a great game. Made a whack load of body checks and went to the net. I think his skill set is under rated as well. I think he is going to surprise some people next year. He has decent hands and knows where to go. It will be a very talented team next year and he will play with 2 talented players that will be able to feed him the puck when he puts himself in good positions. Mercer is very solid on the D side but his offensive awareness is pretty weak. Who Hlacar plays with (Ellis and Headrick come to mind) on the 4th line they will give him more looks then like is getting this year. Will be nice having Cameron full time too who plays a similar style but has a knack for scoring already.

 

[Coaches Coroner]

Parsons didn't look great on the first goal, or the second one imo. Need to get better from him.

 

[EvenSteven]

Thought he had a great game. Made a whack load of body checks and went to the net. I think his skill set is under rated as well. I think he is going to surprise some people next year. He has decent hands and knows where to go. It will be a very talented team next year and he will play with 2 talented players that will be able to feed him the puck when he puts himself in good positions. Mercer is very solid on the D side but his offensive awareness is pretty weak. Who Hlacar plays with (Ellis and Headrick come to mind) on the 4th line they will give him more looks then like is getting this year. Will be nice having Cameron full time too who plays a similar style but has a knack for scoring already.

Hlacar has seven goals this year playing minimal minutes. Most if not all of those goals were nice snipes too. He’s not the guy that you have to bank a puck off his ass into the net to get him on the score sheet.

I agree, he could surprise next year.

 

[EvenSteven]

Parsons didn't look great on the first goal, or the second one imo. Need to get better from him.

Hopefully, last night was his mulligan.

 

[GeoBlue]

+ Day. This was why I was less than excited on the matchup.

In the end, this team always finds a way to win. Less fireworks next game please.

I assume I am not the only one that thinks that all the hoop la motivates the OTHER team?

 

[GeoBlue]

Hlacar has seven goals this year playing minimal minutes. Most if not all of those goals were nice snipes too. He’s not the guy that you have to bank a puck off his ass into the net to get him on the score sheet.

I agree, he could surprise next year.

That shoot out goal in the Soo was a beaut, when all the other players were missing.

 

[rangersblues]

I thought in the first period Hlacar, Diracolo and Swick held the fort down physically when Flint was really bringing it, especially when Ando was serving his fight. Without their pushback it could have been a different outcome. As the game wore on most of the rest of the boys picked it up. I still wish we had more grit on the bottom 6.

 

[RangerNation]

I assume I am not the only one that thinks that all the hoop la motivates the OTHER team?

I think the play on the ice is what would motivate the teams, not our opinions.

For what it's worth, I have Rangers in 5. I don't expect Flint to come out like that every game, and this Rangers team has proved they can weather the storm to the final whistle.

 

[Squirrel88]

Parsons didn't look great on the first goal, or the second one imo. Need to get better from him.

Looking on the bright side, Kitchener won a game when Parsons wasn't at his best. I expect he will return the favour at some point in the playoffs.

MacNeil had a rough game and I didn't think Grisolia was great. Will be interesting to see if anyone swaps out.

 

[Fastpace]

Parsons didn't look great on the first goal, or the second one imo. Need to get better from him.

I honestly think the whole team in general didn't look all that great at the beginning, kind of bit unfair to just put it on Parsons first two goals, in my opinion

 

[EvenSteven]

Looking on the bright side, Kitchener won a game when Parsons wasn't at his best. I expect he will return the favour at some point in the playoffs.

MacNeil had a rough game and I didn't think Grisolia was great. Will be interesting to see if anyone swaps out.

I honestly think the whole team in general didn't look all that great at the beginning, kind of bit unfair to just put it on Parsons first two goals, in my opinion

To his credit, there was nothing McNiel could’ve done on the dash one on the first Flint goal. Parsons should’ve had that one and the way it was scored, it wouldnt have mattered what D pair was on the ice.

And, his second penalty was bogus. The Flint player was already falling forward, going down before McNiel made any contact.

I agree that we had a whole lot of players who looked out of sorts. Especially in the first half of the game. They got the W so I would assume the lineup would stay the same?