After playing a role on with the Sudbury Wolves in their playoff run, Keefe would take one step backwards entering the next season.  He'd be traded to the Kitchener Rangers after a slow start in a deal involving defender Travis Chapman, but the deal failed to shake up the fiesty but struggling winger who went 49 scoreless games with the Rangers.  He did accumulate a total of 254 penalty minutes to lead the Rangers team in his 65 game regular season.

Unfortunately Keefe's sophomore season was better remembered for an incident which took place in game 3 of a 4 game sweep in the first round of the playoffs at the hands of the Guelph Storm.  After being absent from the OHL playoffs for a year, the Rangers were embarassed at the hands of the Guelph Storm.  But stealing nation-wide headlines were 10 and 25 game suspensions to Rangers' wingers: Adam Keefe and Mike Amodeo.  Adam Keefe was suspended for kicking for kicking Storm player: Ryan Thompson, supposedly revenge for an incident late in the season where Rangers' scoring leader: Derek Roy was sucker punched in the face, resulting in a black eye.

Though Adam Keefe would join the Rangers on the 10th game of the 2002-'03 season, Keefe would look more determined than ever.  His commitment to conditioning would display itself, even moreso after a brief absense from the team over the Christmas holidays when he asked the team for a trade.  When he asked to return to the squad, players voted unanimously to have the character winger back on board.  He joined a prominant checking unit led by center: Matt Grennier who centered the line and spent time late in the season with veteran rookie: Jesse Boucher on his wing.  Though the line did not score overly often, they set a physical tone for the Rangers with their work ethic.  Grennier and Keefe were also tenacious when killing penalties together, and often drew the assignment of checking their opponents' top unit.

During Keefe's 4th season in the OHL, he really broke loose.  He scored both more goals and points than he had during each of his previous three seasons combined.  If there is one thing that is immediately evident when watching Keefe play is that he doesn't stop for pretty much anything while on the ice.  He often will not be denied until the puck is in the back of the net.  His skating surely isn't a thing of beauty to watch, but he does get around the ice both quickly and effectively.  Adam's season really got rolling when he was combined into a very tough and scrappy trio which including himself as well as: Paul McFarland and overager: Nathan O'Nabigon in the second half of the season.  At times the line would also be centered by Peter Franchin.

Keefe has 689 minutes in penalties over 4 seasons in the OHL, he has proven extremely durable during his time in the OHL, only missing extended time during the 2002-'03 season when he had a brief hiatus at the mid-point of the season and as well as while serving his suspension at seasons' start.  Keefe has a reputation for not backing down from anyone in the league, and also plays a team game.  His pressence in the Rangers' lineup as an overager would give the team a very big boost in the 2004-'05 season..