Peter Laviolette has some big decisions to make for the Rangers before the start of the Eastern Conference Final.
You would figure that after his team wiped out the Hurricanes in six games, that Peter Laviolette would be pleased with his current lineup.
Well, you'd be wrong.
Circumstances since the Chris Kreider hat trick bonanza have dramatically changed Lavvy's options.
Namely, the likely availability of Filip Chytil and maybe even Blake Wheeler can change the entire dynamic of the Rangers fourth – and often effective – line.
Or, to put it in a more personal way: What does this mean for Jonny Brodzinski and
the ever-ever-ever popular Matt Rempe?
If – as it is possible – Chytil is fully recovered from whatever sent him to sick-bed, how can he be kept out of the lineup?
Fiery Fil is as gung-ho as any forward and is more skilled than most. Re-inserting Chytil would give the Rangers a significant lead over Florida in the Talent Derby.
In other words, Lavvy would have four well-balanced lines with the fourth unit unhampered by always-short-minutes Rempe.
That said, we can't overlook Wheeler who was one of Chris Drury''s best off-season acquisitions.
If Blake's rehab is going as well as we think it is, there's reason to believe that Wheller could return before the third playoff round is over.
Hey, miracles happen; he could even suit up on Wednesday.
Yet a case could be made for overlooking both Chytil and Wheeler and putting the rollicking Rempe on the fourth line with Jimmy Vesey and Barclay Goodrow.
A non-penalized bull-in-a-China shop Rempe could distract and neutralize a bullying
Florida sextet. Maybe give Matt as much as ten or more minutes of ice time.
And wouldn't the home crowd love that.
I know I would!