It was pure to assume the New York Rangers “bought it” after they traded within the misguided clenched jaw methods of Gerrard Gallant behind the bench for the often up-tempo methods of Peter Laviolette after the Devils primarily skated them out of the constructing final spring within the first spherical. The Devils had been clearly sooner, extra expert, and the Rangers had been left chasing all around the ice from Sport 3 on. All they may do was pull some regular Jacob Trouba assholery, and that didn’t actually do a lot besides hamstring the Devils within the subsequent spherical. Selecting Laviolette as coach ought to have meant that the Rags had been going to attempt to be higher at even-strength, preserve the puck extra, try to play sooner, and never depend on three cross-ice passes each time they wished to enter the offensive zone with possession.
Factor about that although is that they nonetheless don’t actually have the personnel to do this constantly, which makes it little shock that they’ve turned to a 6-foot-7 crash check dummy to try to…nicely, it’s not clear what precisely Matt Rempe is right here to do.
At the least in a tangible means that pertains to successful hockey video games. We now know that Rempe is right here to please of us in Motley Crue shirts within the blue seats (does MSG nonetheless have blue seats?). When you haven’t been being attentive to Rangers hockey of late, the Rangers known as up Rempe two weeks in the past or so and he has managed to get into 4 fights within the eight video games he’s performed. Or, to provide you a greater concept of simply how a lot hockey use he’s had, he’s racked up 20 minutes in preventing majors whereas skating round 40 minutes on the precise ice. He’s additionally spent most of these 4 fights getting fed, and has been strolling round with two black eyes recently.
All of his fights have been the staged selection with different goobers whose time has handed like Ryan Reaves or Matt Martin, all of them having their very own circus tent barely adjoining to the NHL recreation they’re ostensibly part of. They’ve served no objective aside from riling up the blood of some descendants of Archie Bunker.
We all know Rempe doesn’t truly assist the Rangers win hockey video games, as a result of he’s by no means been trusted with greater than seven minutes of ice time. That’s truly an issue for the complete fourth line for the Rangers, as Jonny Brodzinksi and Adam Enstrom can’t get close to 10 minutes both, Nor can Will Cuylle, and solely having eight forwards within the circle of belief typically doesn’t result in an extended playoff run in opposition to groups that may roll 4 strains. Exhibit A was the Rangers getting fully rolled by the Panthers final night time at MSG at even energy (36.7 xG proportion). Blake Wheeler’s and Filip Chytil’s season-ending accidents haven’t helped, which is why you’ll hear the Rangers related to simply about each depth ahead in the marketplace between now and the commerce deadline.
No matter “vitality” Rempe has dropped at the Blueshirts is disproven by the truth that that they had gained six in a row earlier than he ever confirmed up, and is only a case of hockey gamers all the time defending a teammate within the press.
Sure, Rempe is one thing of an grownup, although how a lot a 21-year-old hockey participant can declare to be an grownup is actually open to query. However there’s something sordid about calling up a participant for no hockey use and letting him get his mind rattled round by numerous knuckle-draggers merely for the sake of it. Make no mistake, it’s the one motive he’s right here, and his presence on the bench actually didn’t scare the Panthers from doing what they usually do. He wasn’t some dynamo within the AHL who’s simply adjusting his recreation upon promotion.
Some could argue that that is how he achieves his dream and he labored laborious to get right here. Uh-huh. Besides his dream doesn’t actually contain enjoying hockey, and thousands and thousands of individuals don’t get to attain their dream as a result of they’re no rattling good at it. I’ve been by sufficient stand-up open mics to have seen it a lot.
Hockey is a harmful sufficient sport that gamers are making some form of option to make thousands and thousands and dwell out their goals. These are finely tuned athletes crashing into one another at 25 MPH all whereas having two razor blades hooked up to their toes. That’s simply the character of the sport. Staged fights are superfluous and including the potential for long-term issues for no actual causes. Think about what would occur within the NBA if a crew known as up a participant from the G-League who couldn’t shoot, defend, move, or deal with, however man might he take a flagrant foul. There’s already sufficient of a mob that wishes Draymond Inexperienced out of the league and he can actually play!
It’s additionally form of a wierd message to ship to the remainder of the Rangers’ AHL crew in Hartford, that engaged on and bettering one’s precise hockey abilities isn’t any extra prone to get them an NHL paycheck even for a couple of days than presenting one’s face for another person’s fist. Not that the Wolf Pack are teeming with prospects in the meanwhile who might assist New York’s depth drawback, however there’s one or two who might do higher than 5 minutes an evening.
The Rangers have room to play with, in fact. The Canes aren’t going to catch them for first within the Metro barring some epic collapse. However you possibly can wager come Sport 1 in April, Rempe will probably be nowhere to be discovered, and if he’s he’ll be fortunate to see three minutes of the ice whereas opponents make the most of the remainder of the overworked forwards within the Rangers lineup. The Hurricanes have 12 forwards who all common over 10 minutes per recreation at even-strength. They actually have their postseason hoodoos, however going at them with eight forwards isn’t a eager technique.
Possibly it’s simply quarter-hour of fame. Possibly Rempe will look again at it fondly in 20 years, if he can bear in mind it. Possibly he gained’t care, and even understand, how pointless all of it was. There’s simply higher makes use of of the Rangers and his time.
