The New York Rangers have had rookie Matt Rempe on their roster for four games now. He’s quickly taken the spotlight in New York, as his impact has been seen around the league in such a short amount of time. In this early stage of his career, Rempe has stood out in a way that nobody saw coming from the 21-year-old.
Rempe resembles an enforcer from the glory days of gritty hockey
Standing at 6’7, 241 pounds, Rempe is the biggest Ranger on the roster– narrowly beating fellow rookie Adam Edstrom by seven pounds. He’s used his mass to his advantage, already taking part in three fights across the four games played. He’s been laying out some pretty devastating hits as well, including one that led to his first career ejection against Nathan Bastian of New Jersey.
With the amount of fights Rempe has gotten into, his career with the Rangers has already rounded up a whopping 27 penalty minutes compared to just 15:03 of time on ice. The NHL hasn’t seen a player like Rempe in a long time, as he resembles an enforcer from the days of classic gritty hockey.
To sweeten his stat line even further, Rempe has already recorded his first career goal on a deflection against the Philadelphia Flyers- a game in which he also took part in one of the best fights in recent history.
The Rangers need a player like Rempe ahead of the playoffs
One major criticism the Rangers have faced in the past is that they lack strength, physicality, and grit. This issue is what led to their demise during last year’s postseason run, as the “pretty” players like Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin didn’t have the level of aggression to succeed in an increasingly intense playoff environment.
Rempe has the skillset that the Rangers have been lacking in the past. If an opposing player takes a cheapshot on a Blueshirt, there is absolute certainty that the rookie enforcer will drop the gloves and come to their defense. Watching Rempe fight and dominate opponents has kept the Rangers’ momentum going, and his level of strength and intensity is exactly what the Rangers need on their roster ahead of this season’s likely postseason appearance.