There’s no denying the impact Matt Rempe has had this season for the New York Rangers even with his limited ice time. After playing a key role in helping the Rangers sweep the Washington Capitals in the Eastern Conference First Round, his status in the lineup is up in the air moving forward.
On Tuesday night, the Carolina Hurricanes will host the New York Islanders in Game 5 of their best-of-7 series. If the Hurricanes can pull off the win, they will advance to face the resting Blueshirts. A far superior team to the Capitals in every facet of the game, highlighted by speed and puck possession, it could jeopardize Rempe’s spot on the fourth line.
Now, if the Islanders can pull off a miracle, Rempe stands a much better chance of remaining with Jimmy Vesey and Barclay Goodrow. A late season rally and a complete collapse by the Philadelphia Flyers earned the Islanders third place in the Metropolitan Division after Patrick Roy replaced Lane Lambert in January. An impressive feat, but they entered the postseason with the second worst goal-differential at -17 (Capitals were a -37) playing a slower and heavier type game.
Ergo why it would be a miracle for them to upset the heavily favored Hurricanes.
Rempe, 21, made his NHL Playoffs debut by scoring the opening goal for the Rangers this postseason. Although that would be his only point in the four-game sweep over the Capitals, he was a monster with 18 bone-jarring hits in just 6:46 of ice time per night.
I can’t think of a player that’s come in and had that impact on a team, on a fan base, on a city,” explained coach Peter Laviolette after Game 1. “If you watch him and look at him, he just smiles. He’s just happy. He loves being here, loves to play the game. He’s been great.”
At 6-foot-8, the rookie is an imposing figure that instills a level of fear and trepidation in the opposition defense. Those feelings have only increased after Rempe blasted Washington defenseman Trevor van Riemsdyk in Game 3, knocking him out of the series.
“I thought it was a clean hit,” Rempe pushed back on the Capitals accusation it was dirty. “I just went through the body. You never want anyone to get hurt, and I’m sorry to hear about that. I was just trying to play hard, move my feet, and be physical.”
Heavy hits and not fighting is really why Rempe is feared and despised by many across the League. On several occasions during the regular season, he steamrolled and injured players. Toronto’s Ilya Lyubushkin, along with New Jersey’s Nathan Bastian and Jonas Siegenthaler have all been on the receiving end of some bombastic blasts. The latter earned him a four-game suspension.
Psychologically, the possibility of getting destroyed by Rempe, even at just over five minutes per game, may be a weapon that Laviolette would like to keep in play. Defensemen who feel rushed tend to make poor decisions with the puck and may increase the amount of turnovers they commit, which may be a huge advantage over the speedy Hurricanes.
Another factor that could play a role in Rempe’s lineup status is the possible return of injured center Filip Chytil.
The 24-year-old’s addition would bring another level of skill to the team’s third line. Alex Wennberg could shift to the wing to accommodate and Will Cuylle can replace Rempe on the fourth line. As for Chytil, he registered just six assists in 10 games before suffering a suspected concussion against the very same Hurricanes on November 2. If he can return to face them, it will give Chytil a chance to exact some revenge.
Decisions loom for the Rangers as they await their next opponent, primarily if Rempe stays in the lineup. In the end, this is a testament to their depth which could be their biggest advantage in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
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