The New York Rangers have a few intriguing position battles taking shape in the preseason . Their bottom six has an opening with the fourth line center position being up for grabs. A pair of young fan favorite forwards have been turning heads and competing for the position during the preseason.
Will Matt Rempe make the Rangers’ opening night roster?
Matt Rempe immediately won over the hearts of Rangers fans last season as a rookie. He made his debut during the team’s Stadium Series matchup with the New York Islanders and quickly established himself as an enforcer.
Rempe is a fighter and a fan favorite. But he is also a young player with a lot of room for growth. He needs to improve his skating and become more of a contributor on the offensive end of the ice.
During his rookie 2023-24 regular season, Rempe played in 17 games for the Blueshirts totaling two points with a +1 rating. He also added 50 hits and five blocks with an average of 5:38 of ice time. He was then in and out of the lineup during the postseason, a controversial decision made by head coach Peter Laviolette.
The Rangers missed Rempe’s presence on the ice. Opposing teams skate differently when the 6-foot-7, 241-pound center is in the lineup. He brings an element of physicality that few other Rangers players provide. While he might not be the most reliable player, and he certainly commits too many penalties, Rempe has value and could earn a regular role in the lineup if he continues to play well this preseason. However, he is not the only enforcer that the Rangers have competing for a regular spot in the bottom six.
Adam Edstrom is turning heads this preseason
While Rempe’s size and physicality make him an enticing presence to include in the lineup, the same can be said about fellow second-year center Adam Edstrom. The Swedish center is 6-foot-7, 234 pounds, and brings a similar element of intensity to that of Rempe.
Last season as a rookie, Edstrom played in 11 games for the Blueshirts, totaling two points and 30 hits while playing an average of 8:25 time on ice. But unlike Rempe, Edstrom was not called upon to play in the postseason at all.
Edstrom was one half of the duo that helped propel the Rangers to their unlikely comeback win over the Islanders in their second preseason game (the other half being Zac Jones). Edstrom tallied two points with an assist to Jones and also scored the game-winning goal for the Rangers with 38 seconds left in the game.
What seemed to be an open roster spot for Rempe has now turned into a competition between two of the Rangers’ fan-favorite youngsters. Both Rempe and Edstrom will be competing for a spot on the opening night roster, however, they do have a barrier in front of them.
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Both players could be passed up for the experienced veteran in Sam Carrick
The Rangers brought in veteran center Sam Carrick this offseason to bring some experience and stability to their bottom six. The 32-year-old is the projected starter in the middle of the Blueshirts’ fourth line, however, he does not bring as much potential or physicality to the ice as Rempe and Edstrom, standing in at only 6-foot, 200 pounds.
Still, Carrick is a reliable presence and a long-time NHL player. He is a grinder who was primarily signed to replace the departing Barclay Goodrow this summer. If Rempe or Edstrom want to be featured on the opening night roster, they will need to outplay Carrick and steal the position this preseason.
