OHL: Power Rangers

Winning their first six games, the Kitchener Rangers are off to a terrific start this season, and look poised to capture the West Division. The Rangers have depth and they are slowly acquiring pieces to make a strong push in the playoffs to capture their fourth Memorial Cup. McKeen's looks at six players that coach DeBoer will lean on heavily this season.

Yannick Weber (Mtl), D, Kitchener

Weber did not travel very far for the Canadiens rookie camp, as they were held in his own backyard .. swift skating, puck-rushing defenseman joins the Rangers for his second season anxious to improve on his offensive totals .. with Kindl graduating, Weber assumes the top spot on the PP and is the only defenseman to play on DeBoer's PP unit .. needs to play with more urgency as he was too carefree with the puck .. seemed to play at the pace of the game and did not open it up as if he is capable of doing .. he needs to make quicker outlet passes .. he also needs to rid himself of the puck faster, as he did not respond well to the aggressive forecheck and often coughed up the puck .. shot accuracy is still a concern .. with room on the PP he is very dangerous however, he needs to play better 5-on-5, as he did not play up to his potential this game and heard boo's from the crowd similar to what they used to serenade Kindl with.

Justin Azevedo (2008), C, Kitchener

Bypassed at the draft again, Azevedo was invited to the Atlanta Thrashers training camp this season along with fellow teammate Dan Kelly .. a crafty playmaker with a healthy shot .. plucky centre, he frustrates the opposition with his chippy style of play .. he causes a general disturbance and moves into scoring areas often forcing the opposition to haul him down if he gets a step .. darty skater, he has a lively first step however, he was laboring this game, as he may not be in tip-top shape yet .. good offensive skill set with a quick release and good passing ability makes him a favorite to hop over the boards in PP situations .. needs to mature more this season and focus on playing hockey.

Nick Spaling (Nsh), LW, Kitchener

Yet another player who benefited from his experience at an NHL training camp, as he came into camp stronger and more confident .. has a very unassuming skill set .. he does not excel in any area but his hockey sense prevails and is always around the puck .. he battles hard in front and is the receipt of many garbage goals in front .. he is not a pretty player and will take the goals anyway he can get them .. improving his decision making .. he makes nice dump-ins that allows his teammates to get to the puck first and establish a good cycle game .. he is not a physical tower of power but he will throw his weight around and does not back down in the corners .. a fixture on both the special teams, he will undoubtedly be the player who preserves leads in close contests come playoff time.

Mikkel Boedker (2008), RW, Kitchener

Boedker has become somewhat of a clutch scorer, as he has already scored two overtime GWG's .. the chemistry he has established with Kadri and Duco has complimented his game by bringing out his finesse skills, while his linemates do the grunt work .. a fluid and exceptionally agile skater .. his twists and turns in the neutral zone allow him extra time and space to locate his linemates .. at times, he can have tunnel vision as he uses his laser beam of a shot often .. he plays the point on the PP due to its effectiveness .. needs to protect the puck better .. he is too much of a perimeter player and shows no willingness to throw his body around .. his speed will allow him to drive defenders out of position but he does not take advantage of his speed by charging the net and forcing defenders to haul him down .. has all the tools to be a high NHL pick however, his lack of courage is concerning.

Nazem Kadri (2009), C, Kitchener

Kadri could be the most improved Ranger .. he continues to get better and plays to win .. his competitive drive is what makes him so effective .. he is not the fastest or the most skilled however, the simple fact that he never gives up on a play will often result in a scoring chance for him .. moving the puck with more confidence out of his zone and in all areas of the ice .. has a short stride and can build up momentum but does not have rink length speed as he tails off .. he always focuses on doing something positive each shift .. in the offensive zone, he does not hesitate to put the puck on net ,as it usually results in a scoring play .. he plays a strong defensive game, coming back often and using his stick to create turnovers .. Kadri has been placed in the offensive spotlight and he seems to be flourishing with top-six duties.

Josh Unice (Chi), D, Kitchener

Has not been overly tested in his starts as he has yet to play superior competition .. a small goalie that is prone to mental lapses .. he does not hug the post and often gives up more net than he should when skaters are along the side of his goal .. an average puck handler .. he coughs up huge rebounds in front and is often out of position to make the next save .. does not always follow the play and tends to get lazy by going down to early to make a routine save .. it is a blessing that the Rangers have depth in goaltending, as Unice has a considerable amount of work to do before he can be relied upon to lead this team deep into the playoffs.