New-look Rangers struggle on Sunday
Kingston downs Kitchener as Blueshirts lose for fourth time in the past five games
KITCHENER — Two trades in four days.
It has been a busy week for Kitchener Rangers general manager Mike McKenzie.
The swaps, he says, had nothing to do with the team’s recent slump that saw the club lose a winnable game to Erie and then get hammered by Niagara and Guelph, the latter of which he witnessed first-hand at the Sleeman Centre.
It’s more a case of circumstances lining up to help the eighth-place club in the Ontario Hockey League’s Western Conference remain competitive down the stretch.
“Our goal is to make the playoffs and we’re going to do whatever it takes to help our team do that,” said McKenzie.
So Wednesday, it was overage defenceman Cole Cameron who walked into the dressing room as the newest member of the Rangers. He came via North Bay for an eighth-round draft pick.
And Sunday morning, the team acquired 17-year-old forward Ryan Stepien from Barrie via Saginaw in a three-way deal that saw Kitchener send blueliner Jack York to the Colts while fellow rearguard Justin Murray ended up with the Spirit.
“We have a young group back there (on defence),” said McKenzie.
“Bringing in a guy like Cole that has been in the league for a couple of years is going to help us for the rest of the season.”
Stepien asked for a trade out of Saginaw. The Stoney Creek native potted 10 goals during his rookie season but didn’t feel that the Spirit was the right fit as a sophomore.
“It has been a little rough,” he said. “I wasn’t getting too much opportunity. I was just trying to work through it. It was a great organization but it was time to move on. I think it was time for a change.”
Trading York lets the Rangers get utility man Joseph Garreffa back on defence, which is the position he prefers to play. Although, he will still likely see the odd game up front, especially if Rickard Hugg misses any games while playing for Sweden at the world junior hockey championship.
It also unclogs a loaded back end so promising rookie Arber Xhekaj can see a bit more action.
By acquiring Stepien, the Rangers add another potential weapon up front as young scoring has been in short supply so far this season.
“I think there is definitely some upside there,” McKenzie said of his new winger. “Any time you get 10 goals as a 16-yearold, there is something there, for sure. It doesn’t sound like a lot of goals but for young guys coming in, it’s a pretty good benchmark.”
Stepien made his Rangers debut Sunday while Cameron suited up for his second game in Kitchener’s 4-1 loss to the Kingston Frontenacs at the Aud.
The Fronts are the worst team in the Eastern Conference and were playing their third game in 2 ½ days but rode the hot play of goalie Brendan Bonello and a hat trick by forward Brett Neumann to their second consecutive victory.
Hugg scored for Kitchener in the third period to cut Kingston’s lead in half before the visitors got a gimme off a Rangers’ miscue behind their own net. The Fronts also scored an empty-netter.
The Blueshirts have lost four of their past five games and are going to have to work their out of the slide with the current personnel.
Any wheeling and dealing from here on out will likely involve draft picks and young players coming back to Kitchener.
“At this point in the season, we’re not looking at going out and getting a guy that is going to cost a lot or chip away at our future assets,” said McKenzie.