Despite earlier reports suggesting that 22-year-old enforcer Matt Rempe might play against the New Jersey Devils, New York Rangers Head Coach Peter Laviolette has yet to confirm his status.
While fans had hoped that Rempe’s availability for Saturday’s game against New Jersey would be clear by now, it remains uncertain.
According to Vince Mercogliano of USA Today Sports, Rempe participated fully in practice on Friday, donning a regular contact jersey. Given that he was in a green no-contact jersey just last week, this is seen as a positive sign. However, Coach Laviolette is not committing to anything yet.
Laviolette acknowledged Rempe’s progress but didn’t specify whether fans will see him on the ice for Saturday’s game. It’s worth noting that Rempe recently delivered a strong hit on Rangers teammate J.T. Miller.
A 22-year-old from Alberta, Canada, Rempe has quickly earned the favor of Rangers fans with his fierce protection of teammates on the ice. Standing at 6’9″ and weighing 255 pounds in skates, Rempe has scored two goals and recorded three assists this season. Despite being young, his growth this season—despite some unnecessary attention from referees—has been noticeable. He’s also been living with goaltender Jonathan Quick and his family, and has trained with veteran Chris Kreider in the offseason.
For those wanting to see if Rempe will return to the ice after being placed on week-to-week status following a fight with Tanner Jeannot during the Rangers’ 3-1 loss to the Los Angeles Kings, fans can tune in for the Hudson River Rivalry at 12:30 p.m. EST on Saturday. The game will be available for streaming on ESPN+, Fubo, and YouTube TV.