The New York Rangers have some difficult roster decisions to make as the preseason draws to a close. New York has a handful of players competing for roster spots as they time their roster down and finalize their lineup for opening night.
Two fan-favorite enforcers are competing for the same spot in the Rangers’ bottom six this preseason. Both Matt Rempe and Adam Edstrom are gunning for a spot on the Blueshirts’ fourth line for the regular season. Rather than making the difficult decision to cut one and keep one, perhaps the Rangers could find a trade partner to offload one of their forwards.
Mock trade sends Matt Rempe to the Maple Leafs
A recent mock trade has the Rangers surprisingly electing to move on from Rempe ahead of the regular season. The mock trade was constructed by a user on the website PuckPedia‘s PuckGM tool (h/t Heavy.com).
The user proposed a one-for-one swap between the Rangers and Toronto Maple Leafs. In exchange for Rempe, New York would receive Toronto’s Nick Robertson, a bottom-six winger who requested a trade this summer. Like Rempe, Robertson’s roster spot with the Maple Leafs is not guaranteed.
What would the Rangers get in return?
Robertson could contribute as a winger on the Rangers’ third line if this proposed mock trade were to come to fruition. The 23-year-old was a second-round pick for Toronto in 2019 and has been skating with the team on and off over the last four years. He played a career-high 56 games last season.
Across those 56 games, Robertson was quite productive, totaling 27 points (14 goals and 13 assists) and recording a +4 rating. Robertson is a solid young winger who could contribute some quality minutes in New York’s bottom six.
However, it might be equally as difficult for Robertson to make the Rangers’ roster as it is the Maple Leafs’ roster. Currently on their third line, New York has Will Cuylle, Filip Chytil, and Kaapo Kakko. None of those three guys are likely to be displaced for a newcomer like Robertson.
Perhaps Robertson could find playing time on the fourth line, but even then it might be difficult to envision how he might fit with that aggressive, physical line.
Ultimately, this is a move that wouldn’t make much sense for the Rangers. Rempe is a quality young player and a beloved player among the fanbase and even the team’s legends. He has been training hard this summer, living with veteran goalie Jonathan Quick as they prepare for the upcoming season. Rather than taking a chance on one of the Maple Leafs’ cut candidates, the Rangers should continue to develop Rempe.
