After their recent defeat against the Florida Panthers, the New York Rangers chose to assign Matt Rempe to the American Hockey League (AHL), where he is now with the Hartford Wolf Pack. Rempe had participated in only two out of the first seven games for the Rangers, logging a total of just 11:17 minutes in those appearances. It became evident that he would not be a regular contributor to the team, making the AHL assignment a beneficial move for his development. Here are a few key reasons.
**Increased Playing Time for Rempe**
For a player like Rempe, it’s not ideal to spend too many games in the press box. The Rangers view him as part of their future, and in order for him to improve, he needs consistent playing time—much more than the limited minutes he was getting. By joining the Wolf Pack, Rempe is expected to receive substantial ice time and become an impactful player there, something he wouldn’t achieve on the Rangers at this stage. At only 22 years old, he has ample opportunity to develop his skills. It’s also clear that if he were to stay in the lineup, it would only be for matchups against more physically aggressive teams. Although Rempe possesses good speed relative to his size, he still lacks the necessary quickness to make a significant impact in the NHL. He will now serve as one of the leading centers for the Wolf Pack, where he can work on expanding his game beyond just being big and physical. If he continues to rely solely on that style, a return to the Rangers may not happen anytime soon.
**Rangers Have More Established Options for the Fourth Line**
The Rangers now have a deeper forward lineup than in previous seasons, making Rempe’s demotion less surprising. Their current fourth line consists of Adam Edstrom, Sam Carrick, and Johnny Brodzinski, who collectively offer speed, skill, and physicality while occasionally contributing goals. Additionally, Jimmy Vesey is expected to return from injury in early November, providing further reinforcement that could enhance their fourth line more than Rempe could at this point.
Given these numerous options, it’s evident the Rangers trust their other players more than Rempe as the season progresses, which is reasonable. Aside from Edstrom, the others have significantly more NHL experience and can contribute more effectively. With Vesey and Carrick available for penalty-killing duties, they will likely feature prominently once Vesey returns. Although Edstrom is still young, he plays a more well-rounded game than Rempe, demonstrating superior speed and offensive production. It’s reassuring to see the team has reliable depth that can help secure victories more effectively than Rempe can right now.
**Rempe Must Work for Future Opportunities**
Last season was a memorable time for Rempe and the fans, with “RempeMania” making waves at Madison Square Garden, where he garnered enthusiastic support regardless of his on-ice performance. However, this excitement doesn’t necessarily indicate he was ready for a regular role in the NHL. Being a sixth-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft, he took time to develop his skills at the AHL level and earned a call-up last season due to his improved performance. Now, he must focus on further refining his game if he hopes to earn another chance in the NHL.
Currently, with the Rangers’ lineup, they don’t require Rempe’s presence, and spending most games as a healthy scratch won’t benefit his progress. He must demonstrate improvement to earn his next call-up, which may take time. If he can emulate Edstrom’s playing style—leveraging his size and speed to generate scoring opportunities—he might become the next option if injuries arise.
For now, “RempeMania” is on hold in the NHL, and it will be intriguing to see how he performs in the AHL going forward. Will he take this demotion as a chance to motivate himself, or perceive it as a lack of trust from the Rangers despite his efforts to improve in the offseason? Only time will reveal the outcome, and many fans are already looking forward to his anticipated return in the future.
