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With the National Hockey League entering the final few days of regular-season play, the New York Rangers cannot be in a better position.
The Blueshirts lead the NHL with 110 points through 79 games played and hold a 1-point margin with the Dallas Stars (109) and a 3-point distance with both the Boston Bruins and the Carolina Hurricanes in the race for the Presidents’ Trophy, the latter two with 107 points each.
Players on the periphery of postseason-bound teams’ rosters, however, are running out of time to prove their worth. One of those is Rangers’ rookie forward Matt Rempe, who has been making headlines for weeks on end but not always for production-related reasons.
In a column published on April 10, Vince Mercogliano of LoHud shared a few thoughts about the current status of the Rangers mentioning the strong possibility of Rempe falling off the team’s rotation once the Rangers start playing postseason games.
For a while, I was thinking Matt Rempe was the favorite to earn the 12th and final spot next to Vesey and Barclay Goodrow,” Mercogliano wrote. “But since Rempe’s four-game suspension for elbowing and concussing Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler on Mar. 11, he’s only appeared in five out of 15 games.
“His limited late-game usage suggests that Laviolette isn’t all that confident deploying him when the score gets tight.”
It’s Been A Hectic Start to Matt Rempe’s NHL Career
Rempe made his NHL debut in February when the Rangers and the New York Islanders faced each other outdoors in front of a 79,000 crowd inside MetLife Stadium as part of the NHL Stadium Series.
Not only was Rempe the first-ever rookie to make his debut outdoors, but he also did so by fighting rugged veteran forward Matt Martin. Since then, Rempe has gotten into four more fights, making it five overall in a career that spans 15 games, 84 minutes of ice time… and 69 penalties in minutes.
There is no arguing Rempe’s value as an enforcer and a young force that can bring his teammates’ spirits up and shake games with a quick scuffle. His actual production, however, is an entirely different matter for consideration ahead of the playoffs.
As Mercogliano explains, the Rangers might find better players than Rempe who can contribute outside of the penalty box, unlike the rookie. Rempe, for context, has scored 1 goal and 1 assist through his 15 NHL games.
“[Rempe’s] on-ice impact was better than expected, with a noticeable difference in the way his hair-on-fire forecheck was affecting opposing teams,” Mercogliano wrote. “The energy he was bringing to both teammates and the Garden faithful was infectious.”
Nobody can argue against that, but his numbers have been subpar, even more so when compared to some of his teammates, such as Jonny Brodzinski.
Rangers Debating Between Jonny Brodzinski and Matt Rempe?
“Jonny Brodzinski has appeared in 13 of the last 15 games, with signs pointing to the versatile 30-year-old as the coach’s preferred option,” Mercogliano thinks.
Brodzinski, mind you, is all but a rookie. He’s already playing his age-30 season, has eight years of NHL experience, and his tenure with the Rangers is the third in a three-city career that saw him play in Los Angeles and San Jose before arriving in New York.
This season, Brodzinski has appeared in 56 games scoring 6 goals and 13 assists for 19 total points. He’s logged a tiny 8 PIM compared to Rempe’s 69, he’s always available, and he’s also scored a power-play goal this season.
“[Brodzinski’s] ability to play center has shifted Goodrow to wing, where he’s looked better of late and even chipped in a few goals,” Marcogliano wrote. “The result has been a few positive showings for the fourth line in recent games.”
Head Coach Peter Laviolette Will Make the Final Call
Rangers coach Peter Laviolette discussed the 13th forward a few days ago, saying that most probably the opponent New York faces in the playoffs is going to determine whether Rempe or Brodzinski get into the lineup.
“We’re still working through things in the room right now,” Laviolette told reporters on April 3, before the game against the New Jersey Devils.
According to Mercogliano, “[Brodzinski’s] chances of playing increase against bigger, more physical teams.” That being said, the Rangers beat reporter acknowledged that “It’s also very possible that a switch is made if the Rangers need to change momentum within a series.”
As a final conclusion from someone covering the team on a daily basis, the reporter offered a final thought on the Rempe vs. Brodzinski situation for the 13th forward spot.
“If I’m reading the tea leaves correctly,” Mercogliano wrote, “the odds aren’t looking great for MSG’s newest fan favorite (Rempe) to draw an assignment for Game 1.”
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