With his limited minutes in the playoffs, the question needs to be asked on what sort of role Matt Rempe will serve for the Rangers going forward?
What will Matt Rempe’s role for the New York Rangers be going into the conference finals?
Through the Rangers six game series against the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round, Rempe was in uniform for just three of them while serving as a healthy scratch for the other half.
In the games that Rempe was in for he failed to record over 10 minutes of ice time and was benched for large parts of the third period even when his linemates were playing.
It just doesn't seem that coach Peter Laviolette trusts Rempe in critical situations and in the playoffs, coaches go with the players they trust the most.
What’s interesting to note is that Rempe played in every game at Madison Square Garden during the Rangers’ second round series but was benched during all the games in Carolina.
While there is no specific evidence to backup why this may be the case, you could infer that when at home, Laviolette is looking for a physical spark that will energize both the crowd and team, which is something the 21-year-old forward brings to the table.
In a hard-nosed series, Rempe could be valuable as he is unafraid to drop the gloves with anybody and has the ability to make some groundbreaking hits. He’s the type of guy that would stick up for New York’s superstar players if they were being bullied physically by the opposing team.
The Rangers are set to play either the Boston Bruins or Florida Panthers in the conference finals. Both are teams that are scrappy and physical, so Rempe may have a solid role if inserted into the lineup.
However, Rempe doesn't have much of an offensive touch, something that could hinder the Rangers severely in the playoffs.
There is a reason why Rempe’s minutes have been limited even when he is playing. The enforcer is not the strongest skater, which affects his game both offensively and defensively.
Jonny Brodzinski provides more speed and has a higher offensive upside compared to Rempe. Also, if Filip Chytil is healthy, it will be hard to keep him out of the lineup.
Laviolette will have some big decisions to make come next round, but he’ll always have Rempe in his back pocket if needed.