The New York Rangers began their 2024 postseason run by sweeping the Washington Capitals, a contest that the Blueshirts were able to dominate in practically every aspect of the game. They received contributions from every player on the roster, including some unexpected heroes such as Matt Rempe.
The young bruiser played an important role against a gritty Capitals team, landing massive hits and setting the tone early on. Now, with the Rangers taking on a much different Carolina Hurricanes team, fans have begun to wonder exactly what Rempe’s role will be against this new opponent.
Matt Rempe’s skill set might not be a good fit against the Hurricanes
In their first-round matchup, Rempe was absolutely needed to shut down some of Washington’s stronger players. His physical style of play was a good fit to take on the Capitals, but the Hurricanes are structured much differently. Carolina is much faster and craftier with the puck, setting this second-round matchup to be much faster-paced than the first.
Rempe, while he may be a phenomenal enforcer, does not have the skill set necessary to take on the Hurricanes. He’s a much slower forward, and would likely have a hard time going against some of Carolina’s more skilled players. It’s a tough call to say exactly how the Rangers will utilize him in this series, making fans question whether or not he should even be in the lineup at all.
If the Rangers bench Rempe, who would slot in?
If the Rangers do opt to remove Rempe from the lineup at some point this series, there are a couple of players that could slot in. The likeliest of the bunch would be Jonny Brodzinski, a veteran forward who spent significant time up in the NHL this season. He might not be the greatest player on the roster, but his skillset and ability to produce points on the fourth line would certainly be a welcomed addition to the lineup.
A sleeper option to fill in for Rempe would be Filip Chytil. The young center began this season on the second line but hasn’t played since early November due to a concussion. The Rangers’ medical staff has given him a full go-ahead to rejoin the team, but it remains unclear whether or not Peter Laviolette will play him at some point these playoffs.
Nobody knows if Rempe will remain in the lineup for the entirety of the second round, but if the Rangers need to swap him out for someone with a better skill set to match the Hurricanes’ speed and agility, they certainly have a handful of solid options.