Rangers injury update: Matt Rempe ‘close’ but won’t play against Canadiens
For the first time since he sustained an upper-body injury in a fight back on Oct. 23, New York Rangers forward Matt Rempe participated in a full practice Friday. However, the towering forward doesn’t quite have the green light to return to game action.
So, that means Rempe misses his 24th consecutive game Saturday, when the Rangers host the Montreal Canadiens at Madison Square Garden.
“He will not play tomorrow. He was full contact today,” coach Mike Sullivan stated Friday. “Given the time he was out, we think it’s important he gets a couple of practices under his belt in a full capacity. We’ll monitor as he goes, but he’s getting close.”
When those practices come is anyone’s guess. The Rangers schedule turns fairly hellacious next week, when they play five games in seven days, including a pair of back-to-back sets bookending the week.
It’s certainly possible that Rempe practices hard in a morning skate or two and then gets back in the Rangers lineup later in the week.
The popular 23-year-old has one goal and seven penalty minutes in nine games this season.
He’s missed on the fourth line, which had several different looks in his absence. Veteran stalwart Sam Carrick will center Taylor Raddysh and rookie Jaroslav Chmelar against the Canadiens, based on practice Friday.
Rangers make ‘number of adjustments’ to top power-play unit
After the 3-0 shutout loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on Wednesday, Sullivan alluded to making changes on the power play. The Rangers were 0-for-3 in Chicago and allowed a back-breaking short-handed goal. They’re now 0-for-11 in five games since PP1 quarterback Adam Fox went down with an upper-body injury.
So, the Rangers made a “number of adjustments” to the top unit at practice Friday, in Sullivan’s words. But the one thing that didn’t change was the five-forward personnel. Alexis Lafreniere moved to the bumper spot, and Mika Zibanejad replaced Artemi Panarin up top to fill Fox’s usual role. Panarin moved to the flank, and J.T. Miller and Vincent Trocheck continued to round out the top unit.
So, again, no defenseman manning the point. Why’s that, coach?
“Because we think they’re the best five guys right now to help us have success.”
Defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov did quarterback the second power-play unit Friday. And Scott Morrow, the rookie defenseman who seemed most likely to join PP1 after the most recent game, appears to be odd-man out completely. He skated as an extra, and it looks like Urho Vaakanainen replaces him in the lineup Saturday.
As for Zibanejad swapping places with Panarin?
“He’s a cerebral player. He sees the ice so well. He’s similar to ‘Bread’ in that regard,” Sullivan explained. “But I think Mika might add a little more defensive conscious back there. One of the things I’ve always admired about Mika is his willingness on both sides of the puck. I think that’s an important element on the power play, using five forwards.”
Sullivan also pointed to Zibanejad’s willingness to shoot more often, and create rebound opportunities for his teammates.
“One of Mika’s strengths is that he can really pound the puck. He can really shoot it. Now that he’s up top, he can do the same thing from there, also,” Sullivan explained.
“Sometimes we want to pass the puck into the net. We need to create in different ways. We can create off the shot.”
