Rangers Assign Matt Rempe to AHL Hartford Amidst Early-Season Struggles
Following Thursday’s 3-1 loss to the Florida Panthers, the New York Rangers announced they had demoted fan-favourite Matt Rempe to the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack, placing “Rempe-Mania” on an indefinite hiatus.
The 22-year-old had been a healthy scratch in five of New York’s seven contests this season, appearing in just a pair of games thus far. He didn’t see much playing time when he did dress, earning a measly 3:40 worth of time on ice on October 12th versus Utah and 7:37 against Toronto last Saturday.
Rempe was held off the scoresheet in both contests, registering one shot attempt with five hits and one blocked shot.
The towering 6-foot-9, 241-pound skater took the hockey universe by storm during his 17-game stint with the Rangers last season, setting the tone with a spirited fight with Islanders forward Matt Martin in his NHL debut at MetLife Stadium during the NHL’s Stadium Series.
Between his electrifying fights and heavyweight hits, Rempe totalled 71 penalty minutes during his rookie campaign. He also received a four-game suspension from the league’s Department of Player Safety after elbowing New Jersey Devils defenceman Jonas Siegenthaler last March.
Offensively, Rempe only scored one goal and two points last season, albeit during limited playing time, as he averaged 5:38 minutes per night. In the playoffs, he added another goal while delivering 38 hits and four blocked shots across 11 games.
The Calgary, Alberta, native spent this past summer looking to improve his craft, hoping to become a fixture in the Rangers’ lineup this season. His off-season included intense power-skating sessions and one-on-one training with teammate Chris Kreider, with the two further developing his forechecking and puck-protection skills.
Rempe also attended Georges Laraque’s hockey camp in Edmonton, AB, jumping at the chance to learn an improved fighting technique from a former NHL enforcer with over 150 career bouts.
“The fighting is a very small part,” Rempe told reporters in September, including ESPN. “I highly prioritize the skills, the skating and everything. I’ve got to become a better player, so that’s what I’ve got to work on. I’ve enjoyed it and I think I’ve taken big strides this summer.”
The sixth-round selection from 2020 should receive increased opportunities with Hartford, where he logged 43 games last season before arriving to the NHL. He tallied eight goals and 12 points with the Wolf Pack, compiling 96 penalty minutes – surpassing his 2022-23 total (87).
Most expect Rempe to rejoin the big-league club later this season, with the organization hoping he can make a more substantial impact upon return from additional seasoning in the minors.
New York has jumped out to an impressive start thus far, posting a 5-1-1 record that’s resulted in 11 points, tied with the Florida Panthers and Devils for most in the East. They’ve also potted 32 goals over their first seven games, registering an NHL-best 4.57 goals scored per game.
Despite earning their first regulation defeat a night ago, the Rangers will have a chance to bounce back against the Anaheim Ducks on Saturday at Madison Square Garden.
-Thomas Hall
Twitter: @Hall_Thomas_
Photo: David. This file is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic license.