Roster Building Thread - Part XI (Off-season edition)

[HFsNumber1Heel]

I would rather a better player. We know why he was there. The all important “tuffness”. Making believe he can play regular NHL minutes doesn’t help the team.

In a perfect world both him and Edstrom make the team and continue to develop as a cost effective 4th liners who contribute the rest of the decade.

His "toughness" literally took out Trevor van Reimsdyk and limited TJ Oshie in the first series. He popped in a nice goal. He had that nice rush in OT against Florida where he almost scored. He had some good blocks in the D Zone.

He actually can play and is a developing player. You let him keep growing.

 

[TominNC]

Fans get favorites and have blind spots to their flaws. We saw it with higher drafted players like Lundkvist and Kravtsov.

There are better talented players who will be needing a shot but fans like Rempe because he’s different. And “tuff”. We’ll see if he can turn into a 10 minute player. But there’s a better chance some other guys will be better.

 

[Overcast]

All that is true. But making the jump to "I want to see him get PK time" is where I began questioning the other poster.


5 minutes a shot. Several of them to have a staged fight and go away for the rest of the game.

And yet there he was, playing in the playoffs. For multiple games.

If he can round out his game, he's a unicorn. Even if he just shores up his skating, he will be an effective 4th liner. Anything more than that and he could be a pretty unique and very useful player for us.

Fans get favorites and have blind spots to their flaws. We saw it with higher drafted players like Lundkvist and Kravtsov.

There are better talented players who will be needing a shot but fans like Rempe because he’s different. And “tuff”. We’ll see if he can turn into a 10 minute player. But there’s a better chance some other guys will be better.

Who is Rempe blocking from being on the roster? If "all he provides of tuffness" and the coaches see him as nothing but a goon, who is he blocking? If he makes the roster then, you'd say that's a problem with the team that such a "weak" player made the roster, no? And do you honestly think if there was another player (Othmann, Berard) that they thought could bring something else or was full-out better for the team, that they wouldn't sit Rempe?

People complain that the Rangers are too soft. Then they get a guy who inflates the actual nut size of the collective team, and could actually grow into a solid player given his age, and people want to find some reason to be upset that that sort of player is on the Rangers for once. The general feeling towards this kid is so strangely negative and so funny to read through.

Lundkvist and Krav also never really did/aren't doing much of anything in the NHL. People were pushing for them to get looks, but when they did and looked like shit and brought nothing to the team, they weren't left with many supporters. Rempe has shown things in the NHL whether you like to admit it or not. Even has a playoff goal.

 

[UnSandvich]

Until Rempe's skating has improved to the point where he doesn't need half a zone to make a U-turn, putting him on the PK is just a great way to get practice with 5v3 PK work

 

[haohmaru]

Cheaper to just put a traffic cone at the top of the circle.

This is just complete nonsense.

 

[TominNC]

And yet there he was, playing in the playoffs. For multiple games.

If he can round out his game, he's a unicorn. Even if he just shores up his skating, he will be an effective 4th liner. Anything more than that and he could be a pretty unique and very useful player for us.


Who is Rempe blocking from being on the roster? If "all he provides of tuffness" and the coaches see him as nothing but a goon, who is he blocking? If he makes the roster then, you'd say that's a problem with the team that such a "weak" player made the roster, no? And do you honestly think if there was another player (Othmann, Berard) that they thought could bring something else or was full-out better for the team, that they wouldn't sit Rempe?

People complain that the Rangers are too soft. Then they get a guy who inflates the actual nut size of the collective team, and could actually grow into a solid player given his age, and people want to find some reason to be upset that that sort of player is on the Rangers for once. The general feeling towards this kid is so strangely negative and so funny to read through.

Lundkvist and Krav also never really did/aren't doing much of anything in the NHL. People were pushing for them to get looks, but when they did and looked like shit and brought nothing to the team, they weren't left with many supporters. Rempe has shown things in the NHL whether you like to admit it or not. Even has a playoff goal.

I don’t think the team is so weak they need a circus act to bring fake tuff. They need the othmans and Berards of the world to make the team and return Rempe to a spare forward special situation guy.

 

[bhamill]

I don’t think the team is so weak they need a circus act to bring fake tuff. They need the othmans and Berards of the world to make the team and return Rempe to a spare forward special situation guy.

“Fake Tuff”? A lot of concerns about Rempe have a good basis in truth, but “fake tuff” is quite the hot take. Hahahaha.
I don’t think anyone here is thinking that Rempe as he finished the post season was ready for a bigger, more important role. What is being “hoped for” is steady continued improvement of a huge raw forward with some tools and a great attitude who is not NEAR done physically developing and growing into his body. I’m not sure why that is so problematic to any fan of this team who wants our young players to succeeed.

 

[Kocur Dill]

Rempe was on PK2 in Hartford.
Rempe’s reach is an advantage on a PK.
Never seen so much hate for a 21 year old who has played two years of professional hockey and managed to get in 17 RSG and 11 playoff games. Not bad for a 6th round pick.
Matt Rempe is a New York Ranger.
I would like to believe if you identify as a Rangers fan that you would be over the moon that a 21 year old, 6th round pick would have played in 28 NHL games.

There are a handful of posters here that are charter members of the Ned Braden Fan Club.

Any roster short of 23 Lady Bing, Selke, Richard combo winners is trash. The GM and Coach fired. And Dolan hung in effigy from the Jumbotron.

 

[IDvsEGO]

Preseason.


He's going to have his chance in about five weeks to show what he's worked on. Apparently he did not go back to Calgary and just let the social media fame go to his head. I was very worried about that. He's in Connecticut now working with Kreider and that camp.

I would be absolutely blown away if he was able to fix all his issues in a single off-season.

Im glad he worked hard, but he wasnt even an AHL player in specific things.

 

[bernmeister]

I don’t think the team is so weak they need a circus act to bring fake tuff. They need the othmans and Berards of the world to make the team and return Rempe to a spare forward special situation guy.

your bias vs the kid is ridiculous/obvious

Is he still green? yes
room for improvement? sure
While his skillset is not Panarin for shooting/passing/skating, is there any reason to think that he can't maximize -> develop his existing skills, and be an optimal version of what that is? No

One more time: Rempe has earned the bern seal of approval!

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

And Dolan hung in effigy from the Jumbotron.

I think this is a sentiment shared by 99.99999999999999999999999999999% of Rangers fans.

 

[eco's bones]

Rempe's not a circus act. He's a player with a lot of size who can really move and his most important asset is physical play but hitting more than fighting. His skating could use some improvement but Chara at his age was just as gawky in his skating technique if not more so. Chara never had the speed Rempe has now. Definitely don't think the Devils think he's a circus act or the Capitals or the Leafs. When he's on the forecheck he can run over players.

He's also 22 and most 22 year olds are not finished products. He should get better. I don't see him as a penalty killer this coming year. I could see Edstrom in that kind of a role if he makes the team.

Hockey is a combat sport and has always been a combat sport. Some people don't like that part of the game very much but whether we like it or not shit is going to happen now and again whether it happens to favor or disfavor us. I'd rather it favor us. I didn't mind when Rempe ran over Bastian or drilled Lyabushkin or Trevor Van Riemsdyk. They were good hits. What happened to Siegenthaler not really but.......losing a player particularly a defenseman is a tactical advantage for the opposing team. If the hits are clean that's their tough luck. It's also up to players to be aware and not to put themselves in vulnerable situations.

 

[Tob]

Just popping by to say I can’t wait for this season to start cus I’m exhausted from work and my day to day could use some hockey. Would be amazing.

 

[Kocur Dill]

I think this is a sentiment shared by 99.99999999999999999999999999999% of Rangers fans.

No lie.

 

[Machinehead]

Rempe doesn't bother me. Not yet, anyway. He's a 4th liner, but so far, it seems like he can be out there and take a shfit. We're going to play worse players a lot more, like, on purpose.

I just don't like having the hole in the lineup and the constant shuffling. If he's going to be in the lineup, play him. Again, you're going to be putting worse players out there on purpose. Players with objectively a worse impact are going to be playing 21 minutes a game for us on f***ing defense. You can play Matt Rempe for 5-6 minutes at even strength.

 

[McRanger92]

Rangers have plenty of strength at forward and good depth. Their downfall is that the defense has 1, maybe 2 guys who can actually move the puck. Panarin/Mika/Kreider are not perfect players but no one would be talking about how they were soft against Florida if the defense could A. not get hemmed in for what felt like hours and B. could actually gain the offensive zone with possession. When the forwards (and Adam Fox) have to do all the heavy lifting it takes away from the 5v5 offense.

Lindgren and Trouba both stink and its clear Drury knows this as he tried to trade Dr. Trouba and wouldnt give Lindgren more than a prove it contract. Miller also flatlined all year. He could be a top defenseman but he seems content to do the bare minimum. He scored the game winning shorty in the first game of the playoffs, then put his feet up for the next month. Not good. Game 5 of the ECF was maybe the worst game Ive ever seen him play. Rangers shouldve traded for Hanifin last deadline.

 

[TGWL]

Rempe HIMSELF has talked about it in interviews since breakup day.

If his skating has improved, he can get a look in scrimmages and preseason, and they can evaluate how he's progressed.

As a bottom six player in the NHL being a PKer means more ice time.

This isn't some fantasy I just pulled out of nowhere.

This isn't Dom Moore, Brian Boyle, Prust, or whoever else was able to take the bottom 6 role for us. This is a current fringe player, at best, who made the team because our call-up options and current options were beyond brutal. Giving Rempe PK minutes next season is a disaster waiting to happen. I don't want to hear about the AHL. The league is not the same. You can give Rempe 4th line minutes and play him in that position consistently without tossing him into a bigger role, involving PK minutes. I'm sure he won't even be the worst 4th line player we see next season on our team, but that isn't really saying much.

Yes, Rempe will look different with better skating, but he's not there yet for PK minutes and shouldn't be an option unless we have no other options.

 

[Machinehead]

Rangers have plenty of strength at forward and good depth. Their downfall is that the defense has 1, maybe 2 guys who can actually move the puck. Panarin/Mika/Kreider are not perfect players but no one would be talking about how they were soft against Florida if the defense could A. not get hemmed in for what felt like hours and B. could actually gain the offensive zone with possession. When the forwards (and Adam Fox) have to do all the heavy lifting it takes away from the 5v5 offense.

Lindgren and Trouba both stink and its clear Drury knows this as he tried to trade Dr. Trouba and wouldnt give Lindgren more than a prove it contract. Miller also flatlined all year. He could be a top defenseman but he seems content to do the bare minimum. He scored the game winning shorty in the first game of the playoffs, then put his feet up for the next month. Not good. Game 5 of the ECF was maybe the worst game Ive ever seen him play. Rangers shouldve traded for Hanifin last deadline.

Yeah I'm really down on Miller. The main reason being, he really struggles to move the puck out of danger. He makes so many mistakes and he's so easy to tie up.

People say he needs time because he grew up playing forward. My response is always "this guy was a forward???" Good forwards have skill with the puck on their stick.

 

[Mandar]

This isn't Dom Moore, Brian Boyle, Prust, or whoever else was able to take the bottom 6 role for us. This is a current fringe player, at best, who made the team because our call-up options and current options were beyond brutal. Giving Rempe PK minutes next season is a disaster waiting to happen. I don't want to hear about the AHL. The league is not the same. You can give Rempe 4th line minutes and play him in that position consistently without tossing him into a bigger role, involving PK minutes. I'm sure he won't even be the worst 4th line player we see next season on our team, but that isn't really saying much.

Yes, Rempe will look different with better skating, but he's not there yet for PK minutes and shouldn't be an option unless we have no other options.

Seems like he's committing to improving in the off-season. You know....with that Georges Laraque guy...the famous skating coach.

 

[McRanger92]

Yeah I'm really down on Miller. The main reason being, he really struggles to move the puck out of danger. He makes so many mistakes and he's so easy to tie up.

People say he needs time because he grew up playing forward. My response is always "this guy was a forward???" Good forwards have skill with the puck on their stick.

Miller was productive in 2023 but aside from that he's a lot of sizzle and no steak. He makes good plays with his reach in transition but thats because he doesnt move his feet enough to begin with. I think playing with Fox would help both guys. You know Ive been harping on that for about a year now lol. Fox would have a partner who can actually skate and doesnt need to have the puck. Miller can get back quickly if Fox gets caught up ice. The puck would belong to the Rangers with them both out there together.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Miller was productive in 2023 but aside from that he's a lot of sizzle and no steak. He makes good plays with his reach in transition but thats because he doesnt move his feet enough to begin with. I think playing with Fox would help both guys. You know Ive been harping on that for about a year now lol. Fox would have a partner who can actually skate and doesnt need to have the puck. Miller can get back quickly if Fox gets caught up ice. The puck would belong to the Rangers with them both out there together.

Whoa whoa slow down there egghead.

Lindgren is Fox’s best buddy and they played together in junior. Also this is how we’ve always done things. I think that trumps your fancy “he can skate” mumbo jumbo theories

 

[McRanger92]

Whoa whoa slow down there egghead.

Lindgren is Fox’s best buddy and they played together in junior. Also this is how we’ve always done things. I think that trumps your fancy “he can skate” mumbo jumbo theories

It would be a fireable offense for Drury and Laviolette to continue to cater to the whims of these players who have showed us they can't get it done doing it their way. Im always an optimist but Im also a realist. Training camp should be interesting. Break up Mika and Kreider while were at it.

 

[eco's bones]

Edstrom is at least almost as fast as Rempe but he's also a smoother and more balanced skater. Edstrom had been playing 3rd/4th line roles and penalty killing in the SHL for a few years already before the Rangers signed him. I think if he makes the team he might be a good pk option. That kind of thing is already part of his wheelhouse. Rempe's not ready for that.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Rangers have plenty of strength at forward and good depth. Their downfall is that the defense has 1, maybe 2 guys who can actually move the puck. Panarin/Mika/Kreider are not perfect players but no one would be talking about how they were soft against Florida if the defense could A. not get hemmed in for what felt like hours and B. could actually gain the offensive zone with possession. When the forwards (and Adam Fox) have to do all the heavy lifting it takes away from the 5v5 offense.

Lindgren and Trouba both stink and its clear Drury knows this as he tried to trade Dr. Trouba and wouldnt give Lindgren more than a prove it contract. Miller also flatlined all year. He could be a top defenseman but he seems content to do the bare minimum. He scored the game winning shorty in the first game of the playoffs, then put his feet up for the next month. Not good. Game 5 of the ECF was maybe the worst game Ive ever seen him play. Rangers shouldve traded for Hanifin last deadline.

Didn't Hanifin say he didn't want to come to NY?

 

[McRanger92]

Didn't Hanifin say he didn't want to come to NY?

He never mentioned it to me. In all seriousness, there was a lot of conjecture from the media on where he would or wouldnt go. Everyone said he was destined for Florida or Tampa but he's now in Vegas long-term. My main point with Hanifin was that defense should have been a much larger priority to upgrade. The team needs a left defenseman with size who can move the puck and take the body. I wonder now what it would cost to get Weegar or Chabot. There's an immediate need for a long term d-man. Miller needs to take a big leap to get there.