Matt Rempe out for Rangers vs. Flames, could return before trip ends
The bad news for the New York Rangers is that forward Matt Rempe stayed home when the rest of the team flew to Calgary on Friday for Sunday night’s game against the Flames. The good news, according to coach Mike Sullivan, is that he might be able to rejoin the Rangers during the remainder of the four-game trip that includes stops in Vancouver, Edmonton and Seattle.
Rempe sustained an upper-body injury during a first-period fight against San Jose Sharks enforcer Ryan Reaves on Thursday. He went to the dressing room and didn’t play the rest of the game.
The Rangers are still saying Rempe’s “being evaluated,” but Sullivan said after practice Saturday that the popular 23-year-old might make it back before the trip ends with a game against the Kraken on Nov. 1.
However, there are no guarantees, and Sullivan said not having Rempe available for the first time this season is disappointing.
“It’s a tough loss,” Sullivan said Saturday. “’Remps’ is a big part of this group. He just brings so much energy, so much passion to the rink every day. Sticks up for his teammates. He’s an important part of this team, so it’s disappointing to not have him, but it’s going to provide opportunities for others.”
The Rangers recalled forward Brennan Othmann from AHL Hartford on Friday; he figures to dress Sunday after practicing at right wing on the third line Saturday, with Will Cuylle on left wing and rookie Noah Laba at center.
It’s an opportunity for Othmann, who didn’t even make it to the final cut in training camp before being sent to Hartford, where he had one assist in four games. Yet Othmann got the call instead of two other young forwards, Brett Berard and Gabe Perreault.
“I think we’re looking for guys to step in and help us win games,” Sullivan explained. “Whether it be helping us offensively or being diligent defensively. ‘Otter’ and I have had a number of conversations since before training camp started to where we are right now and what the expectations are and how we think he could potentially carve a role on this team.”
Brennan Othmann gets another chance with Rangers after Matt Rempe injury
Othmann has not scored a goal in 25 NHL games, including 22 last season. But Sullivan said he feels Othmann ”has an offensive side to him.
“I think that his opportunity is just in his attention to detail with respect to play away from the puck and just reliability and knowing your job and doing your job. That’s an important element, I think, in making the jump from the American League to the National League. He’s going to get an opportunity here and we’ll see how it goes.”
There have been rumors that Othmann, New York’s first-round pick (No. 16) in the 2021 NHL Draft, could be on the move. On Oct. 16, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman Elliotte Friedman reported that Othmann was drawing interest from teams around the League, and Vince Mercogliano of The Athletic reported the same information on Thursday.
“The Rangers have reached a point with Othmann where they are open to the idea of trading him,” he said on his podcast, The Flying V. “It really sounds like any of the young wingers, they are open to the idea of trading, except for Perreault.”
But Othmann said Saturday he’s focused on helping the Rangers, not a potential trade.
“I can’t really focus really on that stuff,” he said. “That stuff’s really all online, and I don’t know what’s true. I don’t know what’s false. I’ve just been super focused with Hartford and trying to get back up here.
”I mean, it’s no secret. A couple of the guys in Hartford were asking me and telling me about it, but I honestly was just playing hockey and taking each day, day by day. Keep moving forward and focusing on getting back here and playing at the NHL level at some point this year. I think I did a good job with it.”
