Matt Rempe is Becoming a Well-Rounded Forward in the Rangers System – The Hockey Writers Hartford Wolf Pack Latest News, Analysis & More

The most popular player at the American Hockey League (AHL) level, at least for casual hockey fans, is Matt Rempe. He made a name for himself by dropping the gloves and fighting anyone willing to take him on for both the Hartford Wolf Pack and the New York Rangers. It produced some memorable fights including one in his first NHL shift in the 2024 Stadium Series against Matt Martin.

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As exciting as the fights are, the Rangers hope that Rempe becomes more than just a fighter. It’s why they sent him down to the AHL where he plays in all situations and receives more ice time compared to the fourth-line role at the NHL level. He is out to prove that he can do more than just drop the gloves and the recent game against the Providence Bruins showed he can do that.

Rempe’s Special Teams Improvement

The Wolf Pack took five penalties in their Nov. 16 game against the Bruins. It’s a backhanded compliment to say the penalty kill looked good because it means the team had to take a lot of penalties for it to look that way but they killed four consecutive penalties to keep the game tied at one until the third period.

Rempe looked particularly great on the kill. He not only played the shooting lanes and blocked shots but he also created turnovers and moved the puck out of the zone. As a power forward, he isn’t going to make a turnover a rush opportunity the other way but he can move the puck into the offensive zone and maintain possession to allow the clock to wind. He did that multiple times with the Wolf Pack shorthanded.

Any fourth-line skater needs to be a great penalty killer. Rempe isn’t a fourth-liner on the Wolf Pack as he plays on a middle six forechecking line but inevitably, that will be his role with the Rangers. It’s why he’s found more ice time on the penalty kill and stepped up in those situations as well.

The power play is still a weak point for him, and the Wolf Pack as well. The team hasn’t scored in the last 36 opportunities which sounds crazy but this is the AHL (where crazy stats are the norm). Rempe plays a bumper role but is slow to the puck and can’t finish scoring chances. He’s a power forward without the power near the net to get the puck into the goal and it’s something he must work on to boost his chances of returning to the NHL.

Rempe’s Forechecking & Defense

There’s no question that Rempe can check and deliver hard hits. He builds momentum as he skates up the ice and flings his body into opponents to remove them from the puck with a hard hit. Likewise, his overall forechecking stands out as he can create turnovers in the offensive zone and give the Wolf Pack possession and control of the game.

Against the Bruins, his checking presence set the tone for the game early. Rempe’s line which had Blake Jenkins and Adam Sykora, two other power forwards, rounding it out, started the game and played a significant role in the game. They controlled the game against a tougher, more defensive-minded team, something head coach Grant Potulny was hoping to do by having them start the game. “You get pucks behind them, get some bumps going, try to get a forecheck going,” Potulny noted after the 4-2 victory, and it’s what Rempe is best at.

Rempe’s forechecking stands out but his backcheck and skating ability go under the radar. When the opposition has a rush chance, he’ll be the one to catch up to them and either slow them down or create a turnover. If he makes a mistake in the offensive zone, he can recover and make up for it in the neutral or defensive zone. His speed is overlooked and it’s what makes him a great defender and one the Wolf Pack can lean on to win low-scoring games.

Defense and hard hits come naturally to Rempe and it makes him a viable fourth-line skater. On top of that, he’s worked on the small things to become a great defense-first forward. Ideally, Rempe will step up at both ends of the ice but for now, he’s a great forward that helps out the defense, and it’s why the Wolf Pack won back-to-back games where they allowed only two goals in each game.

Rempe Rounding Out His Game

Rempe doesn’t generate much if any offense. The Wolf Pack are putting him in positions to create scoring chances and find the back of the net but he’s struggled to do so, scoring only 15 goals and nine assists in 103 career games at the AHL level. However, he proved he can be a reliable scorer with his play in the recent game.

He recorded his first point of the season by cycling the puck back to the point where defenseman Casey Fitzgerald, who also scored in the Nov. 15, 4-2 win over the Charlotte Checkers, fired it to the back of the net. It was a great play to maintain possession and set up a scoring chance for the Wolf Pack and it gave them a 2-1 lead in the third period. Then came his first goal of the season. He carried the puck up the ice and with an open look, he shot it to the top shelf to give the Wolf Pack a 4-2 lead and secure the victory.

Rempe has a lot of the skills to become a reliable forward, especially at the AHL level. To become an NHL regular, especially for a Rangers team that is competing for the Stanley Cup, he must display them consistently. He can skate and shoot but he must handle the puck better and prove he can find open skaters with quick passes.

Adding versatility to his game will go a long way. Rempe plays both the wing and the center position in part so he can be put in more situations and more roles in all three zones. He naturally plays the wing but that won’t be his permanent position for the Wolf Pack. “I don’t think that. You’re always moving guys around, he’s good on the dot. It’s good when a player can be versatile and can play more than one position,” Polutny stated after the game, and it’s why Rempe will be moved around throughout his time with the team.

Yes, Rempe plays the bumper role in the offensive zone and tries to establish a net-front presence, but he will also work on finding shots on the wing. Likewise, the wing allows him to play along the boards and impose his will with big hits, but the center position allows him to defend the middle of the ice and limit shots from high-danger areas. Rempe is the wild card and one that will be used in all situations to help the team and his development.

Wolf Pack Hopes Rempe Turns Season Around

The Wolf Pack entered the weekend sixth place in the Atlantic Division. With two wins in a row, they are 7-5-1 and in third place in the division. They’ve been stuck in the middle throughout the season but they’ve turned a corner in recent games in part because of the chemistry they are building.

Rempe being a regular in the lineup helps the Wolf Pack form that chemistry. He was recalled on Oct. 25 from the Rangers and has since been a staple of the forward unit, playing alongside the other forechecking skaters on the team. On top of that, he’s been the X-factor in the lineup. He can play in all situations and be a tough player for opponents to prepare for.

The Wolf Pack have all the pieces in place to be one of the best teams in the AHL. If they continue to play Rempe and give him the ice time to be a regular, the team will be competing for the Calder Cup, and in the process, Rempe will develop into a skater the Rangers can call up to be a key part of their Cup contending team.