Kitchener Rangers find size on the free agent market
OHL club plucks six-foot-three, 205-pound winger Matthew Hlacar from GOJHL’s St. Catharines Falcons
The Kitchener Rangers have added some size.
And big forward Matthew Hlacar — six-foot-three and 205 pounds — is only 17 years old.
Even better?
The Blueshirts, who announced his free agent deal with the club on Friday, found him on the open market.
“He showed well at the camps he has attended with us and had a solid season in the GOJHL,” said Rangers general manager Mike McKenzie, in a news release. “He uses his size and strength well on the ice and plays a hard game.”
Hlacar is the latest in an evergrowing list of free agent finds by the Ontario Hockey League team.
The Rangers have also scooped up defenceman Max Dirracolo, forward Adrian Misaljevic and rearguard Arber Xhekaj — now with the Montreal Canadiens — in recent years.
“It feels great to be signed with the Rangers, it’s a great opportunity,” said Hlacar, in a news release. “I think it’s a great place to play with the fans and it should be fun.”
The Binbrook native had 16 goals and 38 points in 48 games for the St. Catharines Falcons in the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League last season.
His addition now gives the Rangers six 2006-born players. The others include forwards Justin Bottineau and Luke Ellinas, defencemen Dirracolo and Carson Campbell and goalie Luca DiFelice.
Earlier this week, Kitchener also signed 16-year-old forward Weston Cameron, this year’s third-round draft pick.
“With his size, skill, and shooting ability, he will be an important player for us moving forward and add to our young core of forwards,” McKenzie added, in a news release.
The six-foot-two, 160-pound Torontonian had 28 goals and 64 points in 55 games in his Under-16 season with the Toronto Marlboros.
“Kitchener is a very well respected and prestigious organization in the OHL,” said Cameron, in a news release. “The fan base is incredible and I’m just over the moon to get started to play here.”
It has been a busy week or so on East Avenue as the Rangers have signed four players with this year’s first-round draft pick Evan Headrick and second-round defenceman Alexander Bilecki also snagging deals.