Big Vukojevic a force already
Fans get glimpse of new defenceman in 2-1 loss
KITCHENER — It’s hard to miss Michael Vukojevic.
The towering rookie rearguard, who made his debut at the Aud on Sunday, is six-foot-three and 212 pounds. And he’s only 16 years old.
“He’s the size I was when I was in my prime NHL years,” said Rangers head coach Jay McKee, who played 14 seasons in the show. “He’s ahead of the curve in that aspect. He has a pro body already.”
There is more to the Oakville native than his imposing frame.
He can be physical in the corners. He has good mobility and vision. And he can contribute at both ends of the ice.
The traits made Vukojevic a potential top 10 draft pick in last year’s Ontario Hockey League draft. But a verbal commitment to the University of Michigan scared most teams away.
The Rangers rolled the dice in the second round and, after half a season with the Green Bay Gamblers in the United States Hockey League, convinced the promising prospect to take his talents to Kitchener last week.
Vukojevic (pronounced Voo-koy-yaveech) tasted OHL action in Saturday’s 5-3 win on the road against the Saginaw Spirit but hometown fans caught their first glimpse of the future blue line stud in Sunday’s 2-1 loss to the London Knights.
The defenceman took a regular shift with fellow freshman Jack York as the Rangers saw their two-game winning streak snapped.
Kitchener controlled the action but ran into a hot goalie in Jordan Kooy who made 38 saves to help London end its three-game losing skid.
Lucas Rowe scored his first OHL goal while Knights teammate Connor McMichael also tallied. Riley Damiani had the lone marker for the Rangers.
Veteran goalie Mario Culina — who has won two straight games — got the day off. Luke Richardson stepped into the crease and made 28 saves, to fall to 18-10-1-0.
Vukojevic left Green Bay about a week ago. Once he decided on the Rangers, he made the tough call to Michigan bench boss Mel Pearson to say he wasn’t going to join the Wolverines next season.
“It was obviously a difficult decision,” he said. “It was nothing against them. It was just a personal decision and Kitchener is where I ended up.
“It’s a great team, organization and there is a lot of history here. Hopefully, I can be apart of something special.” There is familiarity in Waterloo Region. Vukojevic’s agents Rob Grant and Rob Hooper are local. Rangers rookie Michael Petizian is one of his best friends.
And older siblings Matthew and Rebecca are both students at Wilfrid Laurier University.
“There is good stability here in Kitchener,” he said. “It’s a good team and I’m excited to be apart of it.”
Rangers centre Greg Meireles missed his third consecutive game Sunday with an undisclosed injury but is considered day-today. Petizian is out for the next couple of weeks after getting injured in Saginaw while defenceman Kyle Gentles sat out the weekend with the flu.
Recently acquired centre Logan Brown (knee) has yet to arrive in town and is likely out for the next week.
Kitchener is off until Wednesday when the club heads to St. Catharines to face the Niagara IceDogs at the Meridian Centre at 7 p.m.