The New York Rangers are in a predicament. They have finally found a solid trio to use on the fourth line, which has been lacking for several seasons. Of those three players, one has been the most popular and controversial since becoming a Blueshirt last season.
That player is Matt Rempe, who has stolen the hearts of millions of Rangers hopefuls, and many more around the National Hockey League. But, it has been a bumpy road this season, and nothing has been positive for him in both the NHL or the AHL level.
Is it time for the Rangers to let go of their towering forward, or should they ride it out in hopes that he can be the complete hockey player he is striving to be?
Should he stay or should he go?
Rempe has been a bit of a one-trick pony since joining the Rangers last season. Skate as fast as possible, demolish anything that moves, drop gloves, and pummel your opponent into oblivion, then get butts out of Madison Square Garden seats. That is the extent of his 5:26 average time on the ice this season.
Could he be packaged to help bring a solid top-9 forward into the mix to cement this offense as the best in the NHL? I am sure the other 31 teams would love to have "Big Guy" Rempe as a part of their team, whereas the Rangers have someone just as massive and much more dependable on their fourth line.
Adam Edstrom has been everything and more through the first 11 games of the year. He has silently been a stud on the fourth line, alongside Connor Carrick and now healthy Jimmy Vesey. This trio is a stable group that can develop into a fast and efficient fourth line.
That leaves Rempe out in the cold. The Rangers can ultimately retain him for the rest of the year and let him get his shots in every once in a while at the NHL level, as he figures out his game in the minors. But, why not strike while the iron is hot, and package him in with another Rangers prospect or even an everyday player to create a blockbuster trade to finally push this team over the top?
There is still a long season to go, but it seems that Rempe might be staying put in Connecticut for a little while.