Rangers Report

Goal scoring bonanza?

Caught up with Matt Puempel yesterday in between drills at Ottawa's rookie camp.

He admitted he wanted out of Peterborough since it was likely his last year and because the team hasn't made the post-season the past two years.

He doesn't know much about Kitchener, but is excited to get here. He is friends with Ben Fanelli and Ryan Murphy, so there will be some familiar faces in the locker room.

Want a scary thought? Think Radek Faksa, Tobias Rieder and Puempel on the top line. How many goals could that trio score? At least 100. A good problem to have.

OHL schedule released

Dates for the Kitchener Rangers' upcoming season have been released.

At first glance, it seems fairly normal.

There are 68 games total, eight against the Erie Otters.

Season opener is in Mississauga against the newly named Steelheads Sept 21. That sets off eight consecutive road games before the club debuts in the renovated Aud Oct. 19 against Oshawa.

November is home cooking month. The Rangers have 13 games, nine of which are at the Aud.

The eastern Ontario road swing is only a two-gamer with stops in Kingston and Ottawa in mid-October. A one-off in Belleville is set between Xmas and New Year's Eve.

The Barrie-Sudbury roadie is still in tact, smack dab in winter -- Jan. 19-20. And the year wraps up with a double in Saginaw and the Soo in mid March.

Get the goods here.

Rangers pumped to get Puempel

Let's give Steve Spott some credit.

As GM, he hasn't made too many whoppers on the trade front. I think the early 2009 deal of Josh Unice, Ben Shutron and Scott Timmins to Windsor for Brandon Maxwell et al was his biggest deal until yesterday.

He's tossing around strong words too, saying he'd like to build a team as if the club were hosting the Memorial Cup.

Does he win yesterday's swap of Zach Lorentz and two second rounders for Matt Puempel? I'd say so. The Rangers get the best player in the deal. Puempel has one more year left in the OHL. Lorentz could have two if he plays an OA year.

Lorentz should improve on last year's stats -- 19 goals -- but there has to be concern about his second half swoon (one goal in final 19 games) and lack of playoff scoring (two goals in 16 post-season games).

Puempel lands on the Rangers' top line. Right now, the top six includes - Puempel, Radek Faksa, Tobias Rieder, Ben Thomson, Matia Marcantuoni and Andrew Crescenzi. If Cres makes the AHL, the team would need to target a front line centre to really put them over the top.

I've heard whispers that Josh Sterk may be in for a promotion, but it seems a bit premature from this seat. The kid has skills but may need another year of seasoning.

Anyway, read how the team sees the trade and import draft  here.

Rangers, Petes swap players

The Kitchener Rangers off-season remake has begun.

The club acquired Matt Puempel from the Peterborough Petes this afternoon in exchange for winger Zach Lorentz and two second round picks in 2014 and 2016.

Puempel was a first round selection (24th overall) by the Ottawa Senators in 2011 and a former OHL and CHL rookie of the year.

The trade has been in the works for about a month. Peterborough has been interested in Lorentz for some time and asked about him in other trade talks during the season.

Kitchener GM/coach Steve Spott says Puempel will play on the top line and that the team received full medical clearance before making the deal. Puempel only played 30 games last year due to a concussion.

The OHL trade freeze is on until Aug. 1, but Spott says he's not done dealing.

Puempel's addition makes for some intersting line combos. Does the team load up and go Puempel-Faksa-Rieder? Or keep Thomson up there?

As for Faksa, Dallas GM Joe Nieuwendyk told the Rangers that he intends to send the Czech import back to Kitchener next year. Of course, an amazing NHL camp may change those plans, but, for now, it appears Faksa is a safe bet to return.

A glimpse at Bezuch

Was told new Kitchener Rangers import Juraj Bezuch has crazy shootout skills.

That was not a lie.

 

Rangers add import

The Kitchener Rangers drafted Slovak Juraj Bezuch with the 108th selection in the Canadian Hockey League import draft this afternoon.

The left winger was actually the 76th player selected, since several teams passed during the draft.

The 18-year-old  joins Czech centre Radek Faksa and German winger Tobias Rieder as imports heading into camp in late August.

The Rangers can keep two of them and have 14 days to decide who they will be, if Faksa and Rieder return from their NHL camps.

Bezuch played for the Lethbridge Hurricanes of the WHL last year where he had 21 points in 67 games. He was released by the 'Canes before the CHL draft.

The Erie Otters had the third overall pick, but first among OHL teams, and chose Swedish netminder Oscar Dansk, who was a second round selection of the Columbus Blue Jackets in last weekend's NHL draft.

Season highlight # 5

No. 5 - Ben Thomson never gives up

There were several memorable goals this past season.

But this one, by Ben Thomson, was the most impressive, in my opinion.

The scene: Game 1 of the second round of the OHL playoffs. Kitchener at Plymouth. Rangers already up 1-0.

Ben Thomson proves why it's important to never give up on a play. The winger charges to the net, skates behind three Whalers, dives to get his blade on a pass from Ryan Murphy and tips the puck high on Plymouth goalie Scott Wedgewood, despite being sprawled out on the ice.

It was a thing of beauty.

Three imports on Rangers?

The Kitchener Rangers could have three import players on its roster to start the season.

The CHL import draft runs Wednesday. Kitchener has the 108th pick.

The team has the right to put Radek Faksa on an NHL reserve list, which basically protects the team if the Czech import makes the big league squad.

If the Rangers put Faksa on the list, they can draft a third import in tomorrow's draft.

That player would then come to camp and start the year on the club. If Faksa makes the NHL, the new import and Tobi Rieder would fill the team's two-import quota.

If Faksa gets sent back to Kitchener, the team has 14 days to decide which two imports it wants to keep. In the meantime, for those two weeks, the team can rotate two of the three players in and out of the lineup.

The team can trade, waive or delete Rieder or Faksa from their lineup, if they choose. Or they can waive or delete the new import, to get down to two.

Kitchener has yet to decide if it will take part in the draft. But if they do, it could make for an interesting two weeks early in the season.

Camp invites and other notes

Not all eligible Kitchener Rangers were drafted into the NHL. But that doesn't mean that teams aren't interested in them.

Defenceman Evan McEneny is off to the rookie development camp for the Dallas Stars and Vancouver Canucks.

Blueliner Max Iafrate has been invited to Washington's camp while goalie Frankie Palazzese is going to camp with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

The Rangers are still waiting to find out about Ben Fanelli, but it looks like he may get an invite as well.

Kitchener has pick No. 108 in tomorrow's CHL import draft. They have the right to put centre Radek Faksa on a reserve list and draft a player. The team is still deciding its course of action.

Dallas is very much interested in Faksa, since he was a No. 1 pick. GM Joe Nieuwendyk has talked to the team and likes Kitchener as a development site but with Mike Ribeiro traded, there may be room at centre on the NHL club.

The Rangers have been in contact with the Winnipeg Jets. Right now, defenceman Jacob Trouba is headed to the team's camp. If they sign him, he will not be eligible to play in the NCAA (he has committed to the University of Michigan) and could be Kitchener bound.

Season highlight # 6

No. 6 - Lorentz a shootout specialist

When the Kitchener Rangers were facing a shootout, head coach and general manager Steve Spott knew exactly who his go-to guy would be.

Forward Zach Lorentz had a bit of a breakout year this past season -- scoring 19 goals -- but made his mark on the shootout.

Above is just one of his beauties, against rivals the London Knights.

I counted Lorentz goals capping wins at least twice in shootouts last year. He was always among the Rangers' lot sent out to break the tie.

Lorentz meshed nicely with Radek Faksa and Eric Ming, giving the Rangers a solid third line, when all three were healthy. But who knew that he was such an effective shootout specialist?

Season highlight # 7

No. 7 - Palazzese dazzles

Perhaps the most pleasant surprise this past season was the play of goalie Franky Palazzese.

He came in with a backup tag but played like a starter. I don't think anyone, save perhaps the man himself, figured he'd turn in such a phenomenal season.

Palazzese has the second best save percentage in the OHL at .927. Only Rangers' starter John Gibson was better. The Mississauga native went 20-13-1-1 and actually started four more games than Gibson.

He was key when Gibby went down with various injuries and missed time at the world junior hockey championships.

I'm not sure the Rangers have ever had a better 1-2 combo in goal. Palazzese played so well, that Kitchener may be forced to trade him, since the kid deserves to be a No. 1 netminder.

Plain and simple, the Rangers don't go as far as they did without Palazzese in between the pipes.

Draft wrap

Back from Pittsburgh after a long drive home.

The difference between the U.S. and Canadian border?

On the way to the NHL draft, I get pulled over for an hour at the American border, sit in a waiting room while seven clerks sit at the counter helping no one. Finally my name gets called, they ask me all sorts of deep questions such as - what do you do at a newspaper and why does a hockey reporter have to come to the U.S.?

I leave with no explanation as to why or what form they filled out on me.

On the way home? I mention I was at the draft and I work for a paper in Kitchener and the border guard asks: "Oh yeah, Faksa, he went early in the draft."

We then talk hockey for 15 minutes while a line forms behind me.

Anyway, it was a good weekend for the Rangers and locals. 

Radek Faksa - 13th overall to the Dallas Stars

Tanner Pearson, of Kitchener - 30th overall to the Los Angeles Kings

Matia Marcantuoni - 92nd overall to the Pittsburgh Penguins

Ben Thomson - 96th overall to the New Jersey Devils

Jake Dotchin, of Cambridge - 161st overall to the Tampa Bay Lightning

Evan McEneny - invited to two NHL camps, one of which is the Dallas Stars

Funny story with Thomson, he found out through friend Brett Ritchie and thought his pal was pulling a prank. Thomson went to the draft last year and was not picked. He said sitting in the stands and watching everyone else go was really hard.

Marcantuoni expected to go earlier but was thrilled to be selected by the Penguins. The crowd went nuts when his name was called.

Also Pearson had some connections to the Kings, even before they drafted him.

And in case you missed it, Pearson's story of his journey to the NHL.

Finally, Faksa reacts to being drafted and news on Jacob Trouba.

Rangers flying off board

Matia Marcantuoni thought he'd go earlier but was welcomed to the NHL with a huge ovation by the hometown crowd in Pittsburgh.

The Rangers winger went 92nd overall in the fourth round and was on hand to meet Penguins staff -- including Mario Lemieux -- and try on his new jersey.

"It’s surreal, just to hear the fans, I just got the butterfly feeling in my stomach. I’m just really happy right now."

Marcantuoni said he has added 13 pounds of muscle since having season ending shoulder surgery.

Four picks later, his buddy Ben Thomson went at No. 96 to the New Jersey Devils. Credit the Devils scouting. Thomson is a great player who got little pre-draft respect. But he's the kind of guy who can make a difference.

Thomson was surprised to be selected  in the fourth round. He said he talked to 5-6 teams prior to the draft. 

I saw Rangers defenceman Evan McEneny walking out of the arena with a Dallas Stars jersey on. Looks like he got an invite to the team's rookie camp. Still trying to confirm with his agent.

NHL draft - Day 2

Back at the Consol Energy Center.

Rounds 2-7 get underway in an hour.

Expecting half the crowd and half the media today. That's how it goes I suppose.

In case you missed last night's action, Kitchener's Tanner Pearson went 30th overall to the Los Angeles Kings. Check out his incredible story here.

And Rangers centre Radek Faksa was selected 13th overall by the Dallas Stars.

More Rangers are expected to go today. Video screen at the Consol is showing a feature on Max Iafrate right now. Expect him and Matia Marcantuoni to get drafted in rounds 2-3. Evan McEneny, Ben Fanelli and Franky Palazzese are also in the mix today.

In the video, Iafrate says he regrets not growing a playoff mullet with the Rangers this past post-season, as a nod to his father Al.

Faksa seeing Stars

What a night.

Day one of the NHL draft is in the books and it was a crazy one from this chair.

It started out nice with Radek Faksa going 13th overall to the Dallas Stars. Perhaps a bit later than expected, but a sure steal for the Stars.

Faksa was excited and mentioned that one of his favourite players is Jamie Benn, of the Stars.

I did my good deed of the day by letting the Dallas TV reporter know about Faksa's love of steaks. I think it was her best sound bite.

One thing you might not know about Faksa, is that he is a humble guy. He thanked his family, coaches, fans and singled out Michael Catenacci for showing him how to work hard. I thought that was a nice gesture.

He also said that he has no problem coming back to Kitchener for another year of junior if needbe.

Jacob Trouba, on the other hand, is a different story. Equally nice kid who went ninth overall to the Winnipeg Jets. He's holding firm on heading to the University of Michigan next year. The Rangers hold his OHL rights.

Let's see what the Jets have to say about that.

And don't forget Tanner Pearson, a Kitchener native and former waterboy for the Rangers. The Barrie Colts forward went to the Stanley Cup champs with the final pick of the opening round.

It was brutal for me, with him getting selected 10 minutes away from deadline, but amazing for him. His story is inspiring. Be sure and check tomorrow's paper for the goods.

I'm pretty sure he is the first third year draft eligible player to go in the first round ever in the NHL. Will check on that.

More to come on Saturday. Other Rangers who may go include Matia Marcantuoni, Ben Fanelli, Evan McEneny, Franky Palazzese and Max Iafrate.

Word around here is that Carolina may not be done dealing. So keep your eye on Ryan Murphy, who may be used as a trade chip.

Faksa leads pack of Rangers at draft

Radek Faksa leads a pack of six Kitchener Rangers who are on the draft radar here in Pittsburgh.

They are, in addition to the Czech, Matia Marcantuoni, Evan McEneny, Franky Palazzese, Max Iafrate and Ben Fanelli.

Make it seven if you include Rangers' property Jacob Trouba, who reminded me today that he still plans on playing for the University of Michigan next year.

Not all may get drafted, but it's an impressive lot.

Faksa had dinner with his agent and about 60 other clients/families in the Octogan entourage. Kind of a last meal before the big day. His folks, brother, sister and brother's girlfriend are here for support. His billets arrive Friday.

Read Faksa's story from the Czech Republic to draft day here.

Marcantuoni and McEneny keep popping up in scout talk with regards to overlooked gems.

And let's not forget Kitchener's Tanner Pearson, who may sneak in to the first round. If he does, it'll be back to back years in the first round for Barrie Colts teammates Pearson and Mark Scheifele, also a Kitchener minor hockey product.

The draft starts tomorrow at 7 p.m.

NHL draft musings - Day 1

Arrived in Pittsburgh safe and sound. The drive was great, kind of like doing a roadie to Erie but a bit longer.

Seeing lots of familiar faces and some sports writing legends at the hotel. I swear three quarters of the media horde is from Canada.

Never been to Pittsburgh before, but it's beautiful. Three stadiums/parks for three major sports and they're all downtown. This city knows how to do it.

As I walked into the hotel, I practically bumped into Radek Faksa and his family. He's nervous, but excited. The top 10-15 projected picks were put on a boat that cruised the city river while the lads answered questions from all sorts of reporters.

TSN's Michael Landsberg was there and he was wearing a shirt that I own. Not sure what that says about me.

Faksa was interviewed by 27 teams. His most memorable one? Buffalo, because there "was a cute girl there." Gotta love teenagers.

Off to Pirates-Twinkies game tonight and my ticket comes with an "all you can eat" bracelet. Yikes.

Season highlight # 8

No. 8 - Lesway ends slump

This one may not resonate with the fans so much.

But when you go to the Aud almost every day for practice and watch every game from pre-season to playoffs, it's the little things that make a season stick out.

Like when Brandon Lesway ended a 37-game goal scoring skid against London.

It wasn't so much that the rookie scored a pair against the Knights on Jan. 25, but it was his reaction after the game that I'll never forget.

Lesway was the happiest I have seen a Ranger all season. He literally could not stop smiling and had a hard time answering questions.

The Kemptville native scored just one more goal the rest of the way, but will always have that game in London to draw on.

Season highlight # 9

First, a nod to Kitchener Rangers goalie John Gibson, who made the U.S. world junior camp. No surprise there, as he'll likely be the team's starter. But a nice coup nonetheless.

Now, on to more season highlights.

No. 9 - Rieder rocks Oktoberfest

The timing was perfect.

It was the first night of Oktoberfest in Kitchener and Rangers' German import Tobias Rieder did his celebrating on the ice.

As revelers rejoiced in the streets, the sharp shooting winger had his own party at the Aud with a hat trick in Kitchener's 4-1 win over the Saginaw Spirit on Oct. 7.

Fans went on to witness a career year for Rieder, who scored 42 goals in the regular season and added another 13 in the playoffs.

But three on Oktoberfest? You can't make this stuff up.

Murphy to face Russians

Kitchener Rangers defenceman Ryan Murphy was one of 28 players named to represent Canada in the upcoming Canada-Russia Challenge.

The event is in lieu of a world junior hockey camp.

Kitchener's Mark Scheifele, of the Barrie Colts, also made the cut while Rangers' coach Steve Spott was named bench boss for the squad last month.

The four-game series runs Aug. 9-10 in Russia and Aug. 13-14 in Halifax.

Players who were not invited will be monitored throughout the season and can still earn invites to the December camp for the world junior hockey championships.

Full roster here.