Rangers need defenceman, goaltender for Cup run

KITCHENER — The buzz started back in September.

That’s when Kitchener Rangers chief operating officer Steve Bienkowski let it be known that he wanted a winner.

No more collecting draft picks or trading star players. With the Blueshirts flush in assets, this was the season to make a serious push for a championship.

And the Rangers are in a good position to go for it.

Only the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds — the Canadian Hockey League’s top ranked team — has emerged as a clear cut contender.

Kitchener, who sits second in the Ontario Hockey League’s western conference, is clustered in that second tier of challengers that, as of now, also includes the Sarnia Sting, Hamilton Bulldogs and Barrie Colts.

The trade freeze for players not participating in the world junior hockey championships was lifted Thursday. The trade deadline is Jan. 10 at noon.

Rangers general manager Mike McKenzie has already made some savvy moves by acquiring stud defenceman Logan Stanley from Windsor and scorer Kole Sherwood from Flint earlier in the year.

The idea of adding another elite player is enticing and there are many out there including Erie’s Taylor Raddysh, Windsor’s Logan Brown (who has been tied to Kitchener in trade talks) and perhaps Mississauga’s Michael McLeod, should the Fish continue to drown.

Those names are sexy but scoring isn’t a priority for the Rangers.

The club was fifth in goals (128) heading into Thursday’s action and owns one of the most balanced forward groups with 27 even strength markers from its top line, 23 from its second unit, 26 from the third and 11 goals off its fourth trio.

That attack will only be boosted if the team shifts defenceman Joseph Garreffa back to his natural winger slot, as the utility man tallied 25 times last season.

The team’s real needs are the back end. And it all starts with a goalie.

This isn’t a shot against Luke Richardson, who has manned the crease the most for the Rangers this season. At times the Barrie native has looked brilliant. In other games, he hasn’t made it out of the first period.

Here’s the thing — he’s 18 years old. While there have been exceptions (see last year’s Memorial Cup winning Windsor Spitfires), most championship squads are backed by experienced netminders.

The Rangers have a beauty in Anthony Dumont-Bouchard, a QMJHL veteran that came to the club for virtually nothing and got off to a blistering 6-1 start before suffering a concussion in Flint. But he hasn’t played since Oct. 15 and remains out indefinitely.

Again, nothing against the Québécois native, who has been a fantastic player and person. But the clock is ticking and the Rangers can’t afford to wait any longer to find out if he can eventually be their guy. They also can’t burn a valuable overage card on an injured player.

To his credit, Richardson has backstopped the team to the fourth best record in the OHL. That’s nothing to scoff at. But his lack of experience — and that of current backup Chris McGonigle — is a concern for a team that wants to make a long playoff run.

Another area of concern is on defence.

Pittsburgh Penguins draft pick Connor Hall returned Thursday after missing seven games with a shoulder injury but the club could use another experienced rearguard in the mix.

So a goalie and a defenceman would be my target, if I wore the

GM’s hat.

The grand prize is Windsor’s Michael DiPietro, an 18-year-old goalie that is considered one of the best in the OHL. He’ll likely be back next season and would fit in nicely since the Rangers have a good returning group.

The problem is that the Spits seem reluctant to move him this season. I’d still toss picks and prospects at the rebuilding Windsor club in a desperate attempt to land DiPietro but wouldn’t count on it happening. There are other options. Kingston netminder Jeremy Helvig was said to be available to Owen Sound earlier this season for two second round draft picks and forward Aidan Dudas but the trade never materialized. The price provides a ballpark for Helvig’s market value.

Saginaw overage goalie Evan Cormier and 19-year-old defenceman Keaton Middleton is an intriguing combo that wouldn’t break the bank. So too are Peterborough goalie Dylan Wells and defenceman Matt Timms, who could return as an overager next season.

If package deals don’t work rearguards such as Mississauga’s Nic Hague or North Bay’s Cam Dineen are names worth monitoring.

The business side of hockey is tough. Nobody likes to see players traded but the Rangers have a real chance to do something this season.

But, as the saying goes, championship squads are built from the crease out.