When the New York Rangers general staff announced that 6-8 Matt Rempe and 6-7 Adam Edstrom were being promoted to the big club from AHL Hartford, I had a four-word reaction:
When the New York Rangers general staff announced that 6-8 Matt Rempe and 6-7 Adam Edstrom were being promoted to the big club from AHL Hartford, I had a four-word reaction:
"Is this a joke?"
Two games and many words later, I raise the same questions -- as do a few giraffes I happen to know at The Bronx Zoo.
Mind you, I have nothing against hockey players who should be nicknamed "Steeples" nor do I mind if the Blueshirt high command is auditioning the duet for some sort of pre-deadline deal.
That's Chris Drury's business and Peter Laviolette's pleasure.
Right now the pleasure is all theirs as well it should be since their team is batting a thousand -- two wins make a thousand, right? -- since the oversized bulvons donned the Blue Shirt.
On Sunday afternoon Calgary native Rempe won about 60,000 votes of confidence merely by dropping the gloves and decisioning the Islanders ever-game normal-sized Matt Martin.
The fight-hungry crowd loved it even more when Rempe-stiltskin headed to the penalty box with arms raised in case anyone doubted his superiority, or masculinity or his quest for a major league berth.
If both rookies stay in the lineup on Thursday night at Prudential Center in Newark -- and I hope they do -- we'll be able to make a better judgement than we've done so far.
Nor would it surprise The Maven if Giraffe Rempe should entice a Devil to throw a few rights and lefts. Since there are no steeples in the Jersey lineup, the best -- tallest and heaviest, that is -- foe would be Kevin Bahl, the pride of New Westminster, British Columbia.
At 6-6, 230 pounds, Bahl is bigger and heavier than Matt Martin who, at times, looked like a five-story walkup next to The Rempe.
Edstrom, a Swede from Carlstad, has virtually been overlooked due to his buddy's histrionics.
Insiders claim that Adam is the better, all-round player and -- looking long-range -- might be the Tom Wilson power forward the club has been seeking.
Right now, the best-case scenario would be for Lavvy to play these large men for a least a dozen games. If they're mistake prone, send them back to Connecticut. But if they show that they can build their game, perhaps Drury has found yet another reason to avoid trades.