Matt Rempe was one of the highlights of the New York Rangers’ 2023-24 season. He made history when he became the first player to make his NHL debut in an outdoor game—and immediately took fans by storm by dropping the gloves in his very first shift.
During the spring, Rempe proved himself as one of the toughest guys in the League, fighting some of the enforcer veterans of the NHL. Many expected the 22-year-old Rempe to get more responsibility on the Rangers during the 2024-25 season and keep improving and contributing more offensively.
But when the Rangers squared up with the Detroit Red Wings on Monday, Rempe found himself in the press box for the second time in three games.
READ MORE: Fans loved Brad Marchand’s words about Florida targeting ‘Pasta’
Rempe was made a scratch for Monday’s holiday game, just like he was in the season opener against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Rempe was in the lineup this weekend against Utah but only recorded 3:40 of ice time.
Now, after his second scratch in three games, the New York Post’s Larry Brooks slams head coach Peter Laviolette.
”I don’t get it.
I don’t get it.
I don’t get why Big Matt Rempe was a healthy scratch for this game after getting seven shifts worth a sum of 3:40 in Saturday night’s 6-5 OT loss to Utah after having been scratched for last Wednesday’s opener in Pittsburgh,” wrote Brooks.
”I don’t get it.
I don’t get this at all.”
READ MORE: Detroit Red Wings coach’s hilarious quote on Igor Shesterkin
Larry Brooks said he doesn’t mean any disrespect to Jonny Bordzinski, who has replaced Rempe in the lineup. But Brooks feels like Rempe needs to play, given how the games will look in the playoffs next year.
”But let me ask you: Which of these two players would present more of a threat to the Florida Panthers in the conference finals, or to the 2025 version of the Florida Panthers, because there’s always a bigger, stronger, more physical opponent under the rainbow?
I don’t get it.
I don’t get this at all,” wrote Brooks.
