Rangers make surprise move involving Matt Rempe after Kakko trade

New York Rangers center Matt Rempe. Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images

New York Rangers make surprise roster move involving Matt Rempe after the trade of Kaapo Kakko

Originally posted on Blade of Steel | By Tom Banks | Last updated Dec 20, 2024 4:15 PM ET

The New York Rangers finally pulled the trigger on a Kaapo Kakko trade on Wednesday, and following that, they recalled enforcer Matt Rempe from the AHL in a move that is both surprising and intriguing, as he's yet to find his footing at the NHL level.

The move happened while trade rumors surround a different Rangers player.

After speculation surrounding a huge move, the New York Rangers finally moved Kaapo Kakko, just days after the former No. 2 overall pick called out the team's head coach following his healthy scratch.

After failing to live up to expectations, this move was a long time coming for Kakko, and now the Rangers have a glaring hole in their top-nine, with the team's follow-up move being a very shocking one.

According to the team's PR account on social media, the Rangers have officially recalled Matt Rempe from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL, bringing the enforcer back to the team after some time away.

In 18 games during his AHL campaign thus far, Rempe has seemingly played much better than what we've seen of his NHL stints thus far, as he has put together three goals and five points throughout that time.

However, the team is losing a talented young forward who is full of offense, so it's hard to see how Rempe will factor into the equation as he has been used as a fourth-line enforcer throughout the 21 games that he's played for New York thus far in his NHL career.

At this point, it's clear that Rangers fans don't want to see Rempe, as he provides little impact beyond a big hit or a fight. While this likely signals that another trade is coming as they look to shake up their forward group, the usage of Rempe will certainly be a story to keep an eye on.

This article first appeared on Blade of Steel and was syndicated with permission.

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