On Monday night, the Kitchener Rangers kicked off their training camp. They divided their 43-man training camp roster into two teams and opened up camp with a scrimmage at the Kitchener Memorial Auditorium. These scrimmages were open to the public, and while I didn’t get to spend as much time as I would have liked at this game, I was able to check out the first period and get a glimpse of what the Rangers will have to offer this season.
From the drop of the puck, it was evident that players were trying to make a good first impression with a high pace of play and lots of physicality. While every player on the ice was giving their best effort early, a few stood out above the pack and showcased why they will be impact players this season.
Ultimately, it was Team Blue that came away with an 8-4 victory over Team White. It may be a tiny sample size, but I want to share my initial takeaways from the Rangers’ first skate, before getting into a more detailed breakdown following getting to watch the Rangers’ second scrimmage on Tuesday.
Cameron Reid Controlling Play
It should come as no surprise, but Cameron Reid, who the Nashville Predators drafted with the 21st overall pick in the 2025 NHL Entry Draft, was one of the most noticeable players on the ice early.
While Reid was on the ice for Team Blue early in this game, they controlled the play. He showcased excellent poise and decision-making right out of the gate, whether it was by recovering the puck, evading the forecheck, and slowing the pace down to allow his linemates to get a change, or recovering the puck and pushing the pace by sending a breakout pass up the ice, or simply skating it through the neutral zone. Reid made the correct decision every time, and a few times it led to scoring chances at the other end.
Related: NHL Draft Picks to Watch at Kitchener Rangers Training Camp
Last season, Reid scored 14 goals and assisted on another 40 and racked up 54 points in 67 games. Seeing the speed, but also the control he plays with, it is easy to expect him to match, if not improve on, his performance from last season.
Christian Kirsch Is as Advertised
The Rangers selected Christian Kirsch in the first round of this year’s Canadian Hockey League (CHL) Import Draft. He was also drafted in the fourth round of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft by the San Jose Sharks.
With the Rangers losing Jackson Parsons, the reigning Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and CHL Goaltender of the Year, they had big questions earlier this offseason about who they would have in net for the 2025-26 season. However, after watching Kirsch for just 20 minutes, I am ready to say the Rangers’ crease is not going to be an issue this season.
For starters, Kirsch is a monster in the net. He stands at 6-foot-4, and weighs 196 pounds. His size takes away a ton of net to begin with, but he combines that size with strong edgework, instincts, and elite athleticism for his size. While Team Blue’s defensemen, headlined by NHL prospects Reid and Andrew MacNiel, suppressed many chances early, Kirsch was excellent when tested. Throughout the first period, he made three or four grade A saves on cross-crease chances that he ended up getting all the way across the crease and saving with his chest square to the shooter.
With Kirsch looking like everything he is advertised to be and Jason Schaubel, the Rangers’ backup goalie from last season, having a strong showing in the first period at the other end of the ice, it looks like the Rangers will be heading into the season with an excellent goaltending tandem.
Tanner Lam Opens the Scoring
Tanner Lam is one of the smaller players on the ice at Rangers training camp, but that did not stop him from making an immediate impact early in the scrimmage. Approximately halfway through the first frame, Team White was attempting to regroup behind their net in the defensive zone. At this point, Lam was the only member of Team Blue putting pressure on the opponents, as the rest of his linemates were changing.
While playing one-on-four, Lam created a turnover right behind Team White’s net, which allowed him to walk out in front and execute a creative move all alone and slide the puck past Schaubel. Lam added a second goal in the second period of the scrimmage en route to Team Blue’s blowout victory.
Lam is going into his third season with the team. In his rookie season, he put up 31 points in 61 games. Last season, he improved his production, scoring 13 goals and adding 40 assists for 53 points in 67 games.
While he may be on the smaller side physically, Lam does not let that limit the way he impacts games. He is not afraid to put pressure on opponents and can creatively win board battles against larger players. Once he gets the puck, Lam has excellent vision of the ice and can play at lightning speed. He showcased all these skills in the first 20 minutes of training camp and looks poised to build off an excellent sophomore OHL campaign.
Rangers Core Makes Them a Contender
The Rangers training camp roster includes eight NHL prospects and several returning players from their team last season, which had a 47-15-4-2 record and finished third in the Western Conference. Many of these guys were the ones who stood out early at camp, which shouldn’t come as a surprise with their experience and comfort level at this level. However, it does reinforce that the Rangers will have a strong team again this season.
The Rangers are back in action Tuesday morning for another scrimmage. I will be at this entire game, so stay tuned to The Hockey Writers to stay up to date on the Rangers’ training camp activities.
