Kitchener Rangers trade Carson Rehkopf

Carson Rehkopf on the ice with the Kitchener Ranges in Feb. 2024. (Source: Kitchener Rangers)

The Kitchener Rangers have traded Carson Rehkopf to the Brampton Steelheads in exchange for future draft picks in the OHL Priority Selection.

The deal was announced Tuesday.

“He has been an integral part of our team for the last three seasons, and we have seen him grow so much as a player and person in that time, so it is never easy to make a decision like this,” said Rangers General Manager Mike McKenzie.

Rehkopf, 19, was drafted by the team in the first round of the 2021 OHL Priority Selection. His last season with the Rangers was a standout, with an impressive 52 goal and 95 points.

The 6-foot-3 forward also represented Canada at the IIHF World Junior Championship last winter and was selected by the Seattle Kraken in the 2023 NHL Draft.

As part of the trade, the Rangers will get 10 draft picks. They include:

• 2025 – Second round (Peterborough)
• 2025 – Third round (Kitchener)
• 2025 – Fourth round (London)
• 2025 – Third round (Peterborough)
• 2026 – Second round (Guelph)
• 2026 – Fourth round (Peterborough)
• 2026 – Seventh round (Brampton)
• 2027 – Second round (Brampton)
• 2027 – Fourth round (Brampton)
• 2028 – Third round (Brampton)

“We feel it is the best decision for the future of the organization, and adding this many draft picks will give us the flexibility to continue using these picks to draft good young players or use them via trade at some point should we want to acquire a player,” said McKenzie. “We still expect our team to be very competitive this season with the group we have and look forward to seeing some of our younger players take on larger roles.”

The Rangers kick off their 2024-2025 season with a match against the Erie Otters at the Aud on September 27.