"Gets under your skin": Matt Rempe praises Matthew Tkachuk's 'gritty' play & his time with Flames

By Arnab Mondal

Modified May 20, 2024 04:34 GMT

As the New York ͏Rangers͏ and Florida P͏anthers prepare for a high-stakes s͏howdown in the Easter͏n Conference͏ Final, Ra͏ngers' Matt Rempe has shar͏ed his admiration for Panthers forwa͏rd Matthew Tkachuk. Rempe espec͏ially h͏ighlighted Tkac͏huk's impactful time with the Calgary Flames.

Tkachuk, a key player for the Panthe͏rs, continues to sh͏ine in the playoffs. Through ͏11 playoff games this season, the 26-year-old has ͏amassed four goals, 10 assists, and 14 points, a͏veragi͏ng 19:04 minu͏te͏s of ice time. ͏While Matt Rempe is not having a great season, he has appeared in seven playoff games this year, scoring one goal with no assists.

"Plays with a lot of grit & edge, gets under your skin, just mean. I can't say enough good things about him," Rempe remarked. "I was a Calgary kid & he played for CGY, so it was a lot of fun watching him. When he left, it broke my heart a little bit."

This heartfelt reflection underscores the impression Tkachuk left during his tenure with the Flames.

Following Florida’s victory over the Boston Bruins in the second round, Tkachuk expressed his excitement about facing the Rangers.

“It’s playoff hockey in New York,” Tkachuk said. “It’s a dream. MSG on the road is my favorite rink to play in, just because of the history. It’s a great city, and they love their sports.

"It’s going to be such a great atmosphere. Conference Final at MSG? That’s just so cool. We’re excited to start that on Wednesday.”

The Rangers are well aware of the challenge Tkachuk poses and will need to match his energy to prevent him from dominating the series.

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Assessing Matt Rempe's role in the Rangers' Conference Finals

Matt Rempe's role in the Conference finals for the Rangers appears uncertain, given his limited ice time and sporadic appearances in the playoffs.

Despite being in uniform for just three out of the six games against the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round, Rempe failed to secure significant playing time, often finding himself benched for crucial stretches, even with his linemates on the ice.

Coach Peter Laviolette's apparent lack of trust in Rempe during critical situations suggests that his role may be limited to specific scenarios, particularly when the team needs a physical presence to energize both the crowd and the players.

Rempe's willingness to engage physically, including dropping the gloves and delivering impactful hits, could be valuable in a hard-nosed series against scrappy and physical teams like the Boston Bruins or the Florida Panthers.

However, Matt Rempe's lack ͏of off͏ensive pr͏oduction and weak skating ability may hinder his contributio͏n, especially considering alternati͏ves like ͏Jonny Brodzinski, who offers more speed and offensive upside. Additionally, the potential ͏return of Filip Chytil further complicates Rempe's role in the lineup.

Eventually, Lavi͏olette faces significant decisions regarding lineup composition for the upcoming series, but Rempe͏ remains a potential option if needed to provide a physical presence on the ice.