Spott on

Current number two in the Western Conference, Kitchener has as good a chance as any to come out of this region later in the year. According to GM and Head Coach, Steve Spott, the Rangers sat idle on deadline day because they did the bulk of their spending/dealing earlier in the season. It was a patch up job, really. Blind-sided, Spott and company had to replace the gaping losses of Jeff Skinner and Jeremy Morin, both of whom were prematurely poached by the NHL. Another reason Kitchener stood pat, Spott's lack of interest in dealing away too many more picks. He says he's a true believer in building a team through the draft, even going as far as to suggest the current trend of swapping picks like poker chips has become a become a problem in the OHL. 33 selections exchanged hands between Saturday and Monday's trade deadline. 24 players picked up, packed up and left for new digs.

Paced by NHL draft favourite, Gabriel Landeskog who Spott compares to Mike Richards, and motivated by the memory of last Spring's playoff collapse to Windsor, the Rangers are back for another legitimate run at a Wayne Gretzky trophy. If they get that hardware, it'll most likely come with an invite to Mississauga. Because let's be honest. Based on what the Majors are doing in the East, the probability is high a berth in the Ontario final also means a place in the National Final. It's an enticing, mouth-watering possibility not lost on the contenders in the West.