What is the Rangers' Plan for Matt Rempe?

Published: Tuesday, November 12, 2024

by Patrick Corsello

Since February 2024, one name has taken the hockey world by storm: Matt Rempe of the New York Rangers. Rempe has been a hot topic since his NHL debut in the 2024 Stadium Series between the Rangers and Islanders at MetLife Stadium last season. 

So, why has Rempe garnered so much attention? He hasn’t posted flashy stats and has mostly played on the Rangers' fourth line.

Let’s look at Rempe’s backstory. Drafted 165th overall in the 6th round by the Rangers in the 2020 NHL Draft, he wasn’t a highly coveted offensive prospect. So why is there such a strong desire to see Matt Rempe on the Rangers' NHL roster?

The answer is simple: there’s more to an NHL player than just scoring goals and putting up points. Each line has its role, with the top lines focused on offense and the bottom six providing crucial support. This has been Matt Rempe’s role—and he’s done an excellent job at it.

It’s no secret that the “goon” role has been a dying breed in the NHL since player safety rules became stricter in the late 2010s. We rarely see that side of hockey anymore, but Matt Rempe is bringing it back.

Last season, Matt Rempe was credited with “reviving the heavyweight division” in the NHL, taking on fighters like Ryan Reaves, Nicolas Deslauriers, and Matt Martin—players who have built their careers on toughness over the past decade. I believe there’s still a place for fighting in hockey, and Matt Rempe deserves a spot with the Rangers.

That said, the Rangers have many players who deserve ice time, creating a roster crunch with too few spots. If Matt Rempe isn’t going to be in the lineup, sending him down to the AHL for more playing time seems like a practical solution.

All things considered, the Rangers have a decision to make. Lately, Rempe has been in “NHL purgatory,” shuffled between the NHL and AHL over the past few weeks, as the Rangers seem undecided about his role. As much as I’d love to see Matt Rempe secure a full-time spot with the Rangers, it just doesn’t seem feasible right now.

It’s better for Rempe to be in the AHL, where he’s guaranteed playing time, rather than sitting in the rafters at Madison Square Garden every night. While MSG is the greatest place on earth (yes, even better than Disneyland), keeping him there without playing doesn’t make sense.

Teams are often hesitant to send down their prospects; we saw this with Lias Andersson and Vitali Kravtsov on the Rangers a few years ago. Despite their struggles to put up points, they remained in the lineup—and now neither player is in the NHL.

Matt Rempe certainly has areas to improve, with his skating being one of the most notable. The AHL is the perfect environment for development, allowing him to focus on those areas without the stress of being in and out of the NHL lineup. This kind of stability would surely benefit Rempe in the long run.

It’s no secret what Rempe’s role is on the team right now: bang bodies and get in front of the net. At just 22 years old, he has plenty of time and room to improve his game. We’ll see how the Rangers handle him, but for now, I believe it would be beneficial for him to get more minutes by playing in the AHL.

Patrick Corsello is an Assistant Music Director at WSOU 89.5 and can be reached at patrick.corsello@student.shu.edu.

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