WA-NYR-TradeRumours Matt Rempe’s resurgence is fascinating. Rempe was adamant over the fact that he wants to be more than just an enforcer and he’s been able to do just that through this most recent stretch. The 22-year-old is bringing a physical presence fans and teammates have been able to rally around while his offensive game has taken major strides. More importantly, Rempe's hockey IQ continues to increase. He’s been more careful about avoiding costly penalties, which is something the Rangers’ coaching staff has been trying to address for a long time. Peter Laviolette is beginning to trust Rempe more and it’s translating into his overall role with the team. Rempe has played over eight minutes in the team’s last three games and that’s no coincidence. “I don’t think he’s looking for penalties, I don’t think he’s looking for hits,” Laviolette said. “I don’t think that’s necessarily on his radar. The more you play, the more experience you get, the more you learn… “He’s learning even above the hits what he can and can't do out there. I do think his game has been good. When they go out there and do the job, you gain confidence in them. They gain confidence, their teammates gain confidence, guys gain confidence from that.” Laviolette had Rempe on a tight leash last season and for a large part of this year as he was scratched on multiple occasions and played a limited amount of minutes each game he suited up for. Recently, Rempe has been seeing time in the third period and at critical points in the game, which shows an increased level of confidence from his coach and the organization. He was deemed a liability at both ends of the ice, but he is starting to change that narrative for the better. If Rempe keeps this up, he’ll earn himself a permanent spot in the lineup.
