Rangers Report

Skill and luck key at CHL import draft

Dave Brown had his targets in sight.

It was last June and the Canadian Hockey League import draft was hours away.

"We were looking at a couple of guys," said the Erie Otters general manager.

"That morning (agent) Allan Walsh called and said: 'I've got a really good player that 100 per cent will report. If you guys are interested, he should still be there when you pick.'"

When the 12th overall selection rolled around, Brown used the tip to select Czech centre Petr Cajka, who went on to score 20 goals and add 18 assists during his first year in the Ontario Hockey League.

"I got a little lucky," said Brown.

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McDonnell puts pen to paper

Declan McDonnell is coming to Kitchener.

Last year's third round selection had been committed to Providence College but will switch gears and suit up for the Rangers after signing a standard player agreement with the club on Thursday.

The 17-year-old had 18 goals and 31 assists in 54 games for the Buffalo Jr. Sabres in the Ontario Junior Hockey League this past season.

"Declan is skilled, smart, has a great shot and his compete level is very high," Rangers general manager Mike McKenzie said in a news release. "He has used these attributes to produce at every level and we look forward to continuing to see him do that in a Kitchener Rangers uniform."

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The OHL 21: Top newsmakers

The J-Ross has found a home at the Sleeman Centre which, of course, means that the Ontario Hockey League season is finito.

Nine months of hockey, headlines, highlights and — for some teams — headaches.

It's hard to pack it all into one column but let's give it a go.

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Ex-Rangers coaches to clash in NHL west final

They used to run the bench at the Aud.

Now, at least one former coach of the Kitchener Rangers will be in the Stanley Cup final.

That was assured late Wednesday night when the Peter DeBoer-led San Jose Sharks defeated the Colorado Avalanche 3-2 to win the NHL's Western Conference semifinal in seven games.

That puts DeBoer and assistant coach Steve Spott, also an ex-Rangers coach, four wins away from reaching the Stanley Cup final for the second time in three years.

But the duo — who also served as general managers during their time in Kitchener — will have to take out the St. Louis Blues to get there.

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The Wright stuff

The Next One? The Wright One?

If those nicknames are out there, Shane Wright isn't paying attention.

"I've heard a bit but I've chosen not to focus on those things," he said. "I know it won't benefit me."

The Grounded One may be more apropos for the 15-year-old who has received a ton of hype since he became just the fifth player to gain exceptional status into the Ontario Hockey League draft.

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