WA-NYR-TradeRumours Free from the NHL Brig and able to skate his head off for the Wolf Pack in Hartford, Matt Rempe is just dying to get back in Rangers livery. But hockey's answer to King Kong, Gargantua and The Thing From Another World has to find the elusive Manhattan Welcome Mat. We all know who has it – President, General Manager and Lord High Executioner Chris Drury. (With a little help from his friend, Peter Laviolette.) At least half of the many Rangers fans who I know would like The Matt Man to return – just one more time in the hopes that he can further ignite a playoff push. As far as The Faithful are concerned, tomorrow's visitors – the sometimes lordly New Jersey Devils – deserve a good spanking. You know, the kind Sheldon Keefe's sextet administered to the New Yorkers two nights before Christmas. "For the sake of pride alone," says The Old Scout, "Lavvy can't let that happen again." Never mind the "pride" prism, there's a bit of making the playoffs business that – in the fall – the Rangers never thought would be on their minds at this time of year, Mind you, the Devils missed the postseason last year which is why Keefe is behind their bench and not Lindy Ruff. But getting back to another kind of rough – the Rempe kind – The Skating Giraffe is just the brand of behemoth who'd level the intimidation field with New Jersey. So, Lavvy has to figure out whether a Rempe return is worth a gamble; meaning the threat of yet another Matty suspension. The Maven says put the latter-day King Kong back in a blue shirt and tell him to stay away from the boards, and flying elbows. Just a Rempe presence could throw the Garden Staters off balance. C'mon, Pistol Pete, bring Matt back and let the Devils do the worrying!
