The New York Rangers have yet to construct a team identity. But often fourth-liners are building blocks in a team's structure. With the New York Rangers' hiring of Head Coach Mike Sullivan, we could see a new crash line formed in New York with Matt Rempe, Adam Edstrom, and Sam Carrick.![The Rempire Towers celebrating]()
The New York Rangers didn't have a coherent identity during their last four years in the NHL. While they did earn a nickname, the "Comeback Kids", the team failed to capitalize on any kind of meaningful moniker to coalesce around long-term.
Unlike the Panthers, who have an identity and an intimidation factor, the Rangers didn't have one until recently with the fourth line of Adam Edstrom, Matt Rempe, and Sam Carrick.
With Mike Sullivan at the helm, whose seen multiple Stanley Cup wins and a decade of success behind the bench in Pittsburgh, he knows how to build teams.
He can build off the star power available in New York with Adam Fox, Igor Shesterkin, Artemi Panarin, and JT Miller.
The New "Crash Line" In New York
But he should focus on the ground-up and start with the fourth line. Which should consist of Matt Rempe, Adam Edstrom, and Sam Carrick.
This line wouldn't just be a checking line, as they have offensive upside.
They could mow through the opposition while providing the Rangers the chance to keep possession of the puck and stay in their opponents' defensive zone.
But the «Crash Line» didn't just fight, check and kill time - they imposed their will, setting the tone physically while still contributing offensively.
The Florida Panthers have figured this out, as their bottom-six group consists of punishing forward groups, like New Jersey used to back when they rostered Randy McKay, Bobby Holik, and Mike Peluso.
This is where the Rangers could paint the ice in grey using the lines' athleticism to dominate the ice, and then use their physical edge to keep other NHL teams in their own zone, and fumble the puck.
Just to give you an idea of the "Crash Line", the smallest forward on that fourth line was Randy McKay at 6-foot-2, 210 pounds, while Mike Peluso was 6-foot-4, 225 pounds, and Holik was 6-foot-4, 230 pounds.
