Patrick King

Even with key acquisitions such as John Moore, the plan is still to challenge for the Memorial Cup next year.

Despite Kitchener's success, GM Steve Spott is still aiming at next year for a Memorial Cup run.

The Kitchener Rangers made it back on the Ontario Hockey League map this season, but no matter the success, a title run was never in the plans.

Kitchener regained contender status this season after missing the playoffs for the first time in eight seasons. Rebuilding was an inevitable reality after the Rangers loaded up two seasons ago while hosting the Memorial Cup.

But in spite of an expedited reverse in fortune, Rangers head coach and general manager Steve Spott remained persistent in his theory that his team's run season was still a year away.

"We've been fortunate we can contend now for the Midwest Division in less than 12 months, but in saying that, there's a plan and we're going to stay on that plan," Spott said Thursday.

The Rangers made headlines throughout the summer with the big-name additions of American players John Moore and Jeremy Morin. Moore was a first-round pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets, while Morin went in the second round to the Atlanta Thrashers.

The pedigree of both players meant the Rangers were adding high-profile talent without subtracting from their lineup.

But the Rangers weren't done with Moore and Morin. Kitchener also brought in goaltenders Brandon Maxwell and Mavric Parks, who enjoyed a healthy relationship in vying for the crease.

Meanwhile, the addition of third-overall priority selection pick, Ryan Murphy, was every bit as good as advertised. Often compared to Windsor's Ryan Ellis for his offensive potential and smaller stature, Murphy will earn consideration for the league's rookie of the year award.

Although not a newcomer, Jeff Skinner displayed a lot of promise in his rookie season during the rebuild. A year older and a year stronger and wiser, Skinner was expected to be a catalyst offensively and the potential first-round National Hockey League pick has not disappointed.

For those reasons, many throughout the junior hockey world knew Kitchener would be a much improved team, but some questioned how truthful Spott was in his belief that his team was still a year away. Some felt it was a clever diversionary tactic to relieve his team from the pressure of joining the league's elite status.

The Rangers were, on paper, a team with plenty of reasons to puff out their chest and join the small group of buyers at the trade deadline in January. The league soon found out Spott was not bluffing, as he shipped Parks to Barrie for two draft picks - as clear as any sign he was fully invested towards the 2010-11 campaign.

While there is plenty of reason to believe next season could be special in Kitchener, an argument could certainly be made that the team was in a position to load up this season. The talented and silky-smooth defenceman Moore nearly made the Blue Jackets out of training camp and is not expected back in the OHL next season.

As a single season rental, the 19-year-old Moore brings a lot to the Rangers, but may have also brought more through a trade.

"Could we have traded John at the deadline?" Spott asked. "Absolutely. But we also have an opportunity to get a lot of good playoff experience and maybe make some noise in the playoffs and we owe that to the fans in Kitchener."

Spott is already planning for Moore's departure this summer. He anticipates his team will be more fortunate where Morin is concerned.

Although a year younger than Moore, Morin was drafted by the Thrashers as a member of the United States National Team Development Program and not the Rangers. If the Thrashers deem Morin ready for professional hockey, he would be eligible to join the American Hockey League as a 19-year-old, as he was not drafted while a member of a Canadian Hockey League team.

Similarly, John Carlson departed the London Knights for the AHL's Hershey Bears this season under that same rule.

Morin's 35 goals is tied for fourth-best in the OHL this season, and it's not a stretch to say he's far from being ready for professional hockey.

It's a risk the Rangers are willing to take. Since two of their top players - Skinner and Murphy - are so young, the team has pieces in place to contend for future league titles even without Moore.

"We didn't want to waste a lot of our good young assets this year maybe to get to the (Western) Conference final or a quarter-final," Spott said. "It doesn't make a lot of sense. We stayed the course."

Although this season could be his only chance at junior hockey glory, Moore wasn't ready to write his team's chances off this season.

"The beautiful thing about hockey is anyone can beat anyone on any given night," he said. "We're comfortable with the group we have and feel confident that we can make that push for the playoffs."

"I think it's exciting to look in the future, but I think you have to wait until the off-season to do that," Skinner added. "I think the focus right now is on this season and going deep in the playoffs and we'll worry about next year in the off-season."

The Rangers are back on the map, but one can't help but wonder if this team had the possible makings of a championship contender this season.