Kitchener Rangers trade OHL Priority Selection picks with Saginaw

The Kitchener Rangers dressing room is seen in this undated photo. (Krista Sharpe/CTV Kitchener)

The Kitchener Rangers are hoping to even up their playoff series with London Knights on Tuesday, but the team is also looking ahead to next season.

The club has completed a trade with the Saginaw Spirit ahead of the 2023 OHL Priority Selection draft, they announced in a media release Monday night.

“These players that we are selecting this year are going to be the building blocks of our core group that we are going to build around for our potential bid to host the 2026-2027 CHL Memorial Cup,” said general manager Mike McKenzie.

As part of the deal, Kitchener will get North Bay’s second-round pick in the 2023 OHL Priority Selection.

In return, the Rangers will trade London’s fifth-round pick in 2023, Sudbury’s fourth-round pick in 2025, and Mississauga’s fourth-round pick in 2026.

“We’re excited to add a second-round pick in this year’s draft as we previously did not have one,” McKenzie said.

The event will be held on April 21 and April 22.