Never in the Rangers' 97-year history has a player received more attention for accomplishing less than 22-year-old center Matt Rempe.
And it should make The Skating Giraffe wonder whether he really – and truly – is good enough to make the big club – or should perhaps rightfully return to Hartford.
The stats virtually demand he's more Wolf Pack than Ranger. On the fingers of one hand you can count his accomplishments In 17 NHL games last season.
One measly goal, a single assist, two points and plus one.
The Maven says that – in a fair world – either centers, gigantic 23-year-old Adam Edstrom or last season's useful 31-year-old Jonny Brodzinski be moved ahead of Rempe to fill the last-man-in gap among forwards – ahead of Rempe.
"It doesn't matter whether Brod or Edstrom have a great training camp," says The Old Scout, "neither of them can displace Rempe for the pure and simple reason of 'public opinion.' Matt has become one of the most popular players on the team."
I'll go a step further and say THE MOST POPULAR.
If any other Ranger took boxing lessons this past summer it would be no big deal. But when Rempe studied under former NHL heavyweight Georges Laroque, it became a story along with video cameras, pads, pens and interviews.
While other Blueshirts were out golfing, The Remper was making appearances as if he'd been around as long as Chris Kreider. And now that he's living with goalie Jonathan Quick's family well, what did I tell you? – he's acting as if he's made the big team.
"But what if Brodzinski and Edstrom prove meaningfully better than Rempe after camp ends, then what?" asks The Old Scout.
In that case, The Maven goes on record with this: I double-dare Chris Drury to demote someone who is logically demote-able because his name is the magical Rempe.
But, you and I know that it'll never happen because – in Matt Rempe's rarefied case – charisma beats talent by a score of NHL over AHL.
