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Did Rangers' Matt Rempe deserve AHL demotion? Exploring forward's advanced NHL EDGE stats to justify move
Following the New York Rangers' 3-1 loss to the Florida Panthers on Thursday, the team reassigned Matt Rempe to the AHL. The 22 year old Calgary native didn't make an appearance for the team in the loss to the defending champs, and has been absent from the ice since the Rangers' 4-1 win over the Maple Leafs on Oct. 19, where he logged 7:37 minutes on the ice.
So far this year, Rempe has appeared in just two regular season games for the Rangers, and has struggled to find his rhythm on the ice. Last season, he primarily played for the Hartford Wolf Pack in the AHL, where he'll return to now after being reassigned.
The question now is whether or not Rempe deserved to be assigned to the Hartford Wolf Pack, or whether he deserved to remain on the team's main roster.
When looking at his NHL EDGE stats, Rempe ranks below the 50th percentile in every measurable stat, from skating speed, to shooting percentage to shots on goal.
Much of this comes down to the fact that Rempe has only played in two games this season, which explains why his NHL EDGE stats are below the 50th percentile. For a young player who made strides last season, the move back to the AHL is one the team made with his development in mind.
Over 43 games in the AHL last season, Rempe evolved as a player, and given that he has played just two games in the NHL this season, his development has hit a standstill.
By reassigning Matt Rempe to the AHL, he will be able to get valuable minutes on ice to continue his development.
"Every time Matt Rempe was on the ice, there was just a huge cheer" - Canadiens player Nick Suzuki
While Matt Rempe made strides in the AHL last season, the 6-foot-9 prospect is primarily known for his fighting abilities. Last year, in his NHL debut when the Rangers faced off with the New York Islanders, Rempe dropped the gloves and went toe-to-toe with Matt Martin.
He then went on a run that saw him trade blows with some big names, such as Ryan Reaves, who many fans thought he would throw down with again this season when the two teams faced off last weekend.
Instead, nothing came to fruition, which seems to be part of a larger trend of less fights taking place throughout the league so far this season. Although his impact in the NHL hasn't extended much beyond his fighting abilities, Habs center Nick Suzuki has seen firsthand how fans respond to Matt Rempe.
In an interview with The Hockey News, Suzuki said:
“There’s a certain side of fans that like that entertainment. Playing in New York, every time Rempe was on the ice, there was just like a huge cheer. So it brings something different to the game.
I think anything that brings fans to come in and watch, I think that’s good for the league. It’s an entertaining part of the game. I wouldn’t really like to change that part.”
With Matt Rempe back in the AHL, it will be interesting to see if the NHL's fighting numbers for this season continue to trend down.
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