It was quite a week for Matt Rempe. From unheralded prospect to the darling of the NHL in a New York minute. There have been fights (4), a game-winning goal, an assist, and one epic nationally televised interview with Emily Kaplan. It doesn’t get much better than that. Even the growing concern for the sustainability of his epic tilts did little to diminish Rempe’s impact on not just the Rangers but the entire league.
With the Rangers’ 10-game winning streak coming to an end in Columbus last night and two days off before the next game, also against the Blue Jackets, the question becomes, can Matt Rempe continue to contribute on a Ranger team with Stanley Cup aspirations? Rempe’s work with Barclay Goodrow and fellow rookie and recent call-up Adam Edstrom has been good so far. His willingness to take on all comers has provided a spark that the team clearly values. But in the end, the two goals the fourth line has scored since it was formed with the call-ups may mean more to the team in the longer term.
The Rangers have not had a fourth line that can chip the puck in deep and make defenders question their desire to go and get this year. So far, the value of such a line has been evident, albeit in a limited sample size. Rempe has shown the ability to get into the offensive zone with enough speed to put pressure on retreating defensemen. He has even created or helped create turnovers that have led to offensive zone possessions. And once the Rangers have the puck in the offensive zone, he parks his large frame in front of the goalie, causing all manner of havoc.
His goal and his assist seem like the template for the type of ugly goals the Rangers can expect from this iteration of the fourth line. On a team of highly skilled players, ugly goals have been harder to come by, adding to their importance. In the playoffs, when space gets tight, and games get more physical, having a fourth line that is both unafraid to go to the ugly areas of the ice and capable of potting ugly goals increases in value. The current iteration of the Rangers has needed both.
If Rempe and his linemates can continue to contribute on the forecheck, create some offensive zone time, and generate ugly goals, they may find themselves indispensable. Whether that changes whom the Rangers decide to pursue at the trade deadline and how they shift the lines around once reinforcements arrive remains to be seen. But until then, if Matt Rempe keeps having weeks like his first in the NHL, he will have a lot more to smile about.
Regardless of what the future holds, Matt Rempe can be proud of his impact thus far. It has been refreshing to see a rookie play with such joy and abandon, even if it does raise some concerns about his health. The truly refreshing part for many has been Rempe’s willingness to embrace his moment and tell us all what it feels like without using team-issued talking points.
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