After entering training camp on the bubble, Matt Rempe — the 6-foot-9 forward known for his crushing hits and fights — found a way to stick on the Rangers’ opening night roster.
That became clear Sunday when the Rangers placed Taylor Raddysh on waivers, clearing the way for Rempe (who isn’t waiver-exempt) and Jaroslav Chmelar (who is) to make the initial 23-man group that’ll break training camp and head to Boston for Tuesday’s opener.
Rempe, who was limited to just 26 games last season after undergoing a pair of procedures on his left thumb, knew he entered training camp with a lot to prove to the coaching staff. And he seemingly did just that, carving out a space with the Blueshirts to start the year.
At the Rangers’ first preseason sessions, though, Rempe was just a forward rotating in. He didn’t log the first reps with the fourth line initially. He strung together 14 hits, a pair of assists and two blocked shots during his three preseason appearances.
Friday against the Islanders, when the Rangers treated it like a dress rehearsal, Rempe — who has logged 96 games across the regular season and playoffs, picking up 12 points and 10 fights — skated alongside Tye Kartye and Joe Veleno on the fourth line.
It all marked a return of the healthy version of Rempe, who struggled with shooting and handling pucks in 17 games after the first thumb procedure last season. Before the Rangers’ first exhibition, he last skated in an NHL game Feb. 5.
“You have to acknowledge that he’s missed a lot of hockey, so he’s — to a certain extent, he’s trying to recapture all of those things that help players have success,” head coach Mike Sullivan said of Rempe on Friday. “Speed, timing, conditioning, all of those things. … It’s hard to simulate NHL game intensity in a practice, so he played in three games, three out of the four, and that was by design because he’s missed so much.
“Remps has been a big part of this team, and I think the guys really appreciate what he does for the group.”
