OPINION: Matt Rempe Belongs in the NHL

After being sent down to the New York Ranger's American Hockey League affilaite, the Hartford Wolf Pack, heavyweight Matt Rempe was recalled and logged some playing time against the Washington Capitals.

Rempe suited up for two games with the Wolf Pack after being sent down. He did not tally any points or penalty minutes and finished with a minus-3 rating but had around 18 minutes worth of playing time each game, before getting recalled. Although the Rangers lost 5-3 in their most recent matchup, Rempe tallied over five minutes of total ice team and made an impact on the game, fighting Washington's Dylan McIlrath in the first period.

In the first period against the Capitals at around the 18:00 Rempe and fellow heavyweight Dylan McIlrath dropped the gloves off for a scrap. The two have fought on the ice before, with this being a rematch from a 2022 showdown between the pair in the American League.

Both got good punches in with the fight being very close to call, but eventually Rempe was taken down on the ice by the former Rangers' top pick and brought to the locker room with blood coming from under his eye.

Obviously after a brief stint in the AHL, he returned to the Rangers' lineup, with some fans wanting to know why. Let's break down this answer.

There's no one who quite has the mixture of tools that Rempe has. At 6'9" at 255 pounds — he's big, he can skate, and he also has the ability to put the puck in the net.

For his career stats so far, he has played in 20 games and seen one goal and one assist for two points.

WHL Seattle Thunderbirds' coach Matt O'Dette said during his time coaching Rempe, "Matt burst onto the scene and was an integral part of our team."

Rempe began his journey to the NHL as a lanky kid with some raw talent. As he’s dealt with some major setbacks, he’s committed to growing and making the changes he needed to make to find success. He began seriously training in the gym to bulk up a bit more, working on his on-ice skills this offseason and honing his ability to generate offense.

In fact, he's often the last Rangers player off the ice during practices.

He works hard, and I think that the habits in his game for all three zones are decidedly positive. He has some great backchecks to eliminate rush opportunities.

Rempe has chosen to do what he needs to do to create opportunities for himself. This season, he has a chance to prove to those who think he’s nothing but a sideshow that he is an NHL-caliber player. Some say Rempe doesn’t belong in the NHL, but Blue Line Station thinks that’s exactly why he does.