With the recent birthday of Scott Stevens, a prior legend with the Kitchener Rangers, it’s time to think of what the future holds for the organization going into the draft. Last year, the Kitchener Rangers physical blue liner in Michael Vukojevic was taken by the New Jersey Devils in 2019.
Who will be the first Kitchener player selected in the 2020 Draft? According to Eliteprospects.com, Isaac Langdon, the six-foot, 172 pound centre will likely be the guy. Although he has 34 points in 111 games, his underlying stats are more about being a solid fourth line player.
The Newfoundland native tends to describe himself as more of an edge guy which is a good thing because his game at the NHL level would be like if Carl Hagelin could hip-check and disrupt opponents in up ice transition. If I had to place a bet on Langdon getting drafted between the late fourth-seventh round, I can see any team going after him where he is valued the most. If I was a Devils scout having watched his teammate Michael Vukojevic from the last draft, it would be a wise move to bring in another player that has some skill, a lot of grit, chemistry and energy to an organization.
With the next player from the Kitchener Rangers being Donovan Sebrango, he is a defensemen ranked at 67 by Future Considerations. He was an offensive defensemen in the last two seasons, scoring 56 points in 118 games played. He is a left-handed shot, only six-feet, 179 pounds and he could be a ripe pick for a team looking for a young offensive minded defender, also a native of Kingston, Ontario.
The last one today we will talk about is Reid Valade, the 5’10, 161 pound right-winger out of Caledon. Reid has 59 points in 114 games played for Kitchener the past two seasons. That is due in part to his heads up play in the neutral zone, winning board and puck battles. When Valade gets possession after using his physical edge, he then creates time and space to maneuver up ice at ease and uses his hockey sense and his IQ for that spectacular lateral sauce pass or cuts over and goes forehand to backhand for the big goal.
Out of these Kitchener players, if I’m the New Jersey Devils or any team between the second through third round, I’m taking a chance on Reid Valade and his play seems to me similar to Patrice Bergeron with the physical edge and the silky mitts of T.J. Oshie with the dekes.