New York Rangers Make Surprising Move With Matt Rempe after Horrible Display in the AHL

Last week, the Rangers made the controversial decision to send Matt Rempe down to the AHL after a tough start to the season. This summer, Rempe worked on his game with teammate and mentor Chris Kreider but didn't get many chances to show it on the ice. He was a healthy scratch in all the Rangers games except two, where he was on the ice for only 3:40 and 7:37.

Instead of keeping him sideline, management thought it would be a great idea to send him to the AHL, where he could get more ice time.

In a surprising twist, the Rangers announced today that they've called him back up in the NHL.

Per Renaud Lavoie:

Many fans were surprised to see the Rangers calling him back up after such a short and uneventful stint in the AHL. In two games, the 6'9" forward didn't score a point, fired two shots on goal, and tallied a -3 rating.

However, Jake Leschychyn, who replaced Rempe in the Rangers lineup, was sent down to the Wolfpack yesterday after being a healthy scratch Saturday against the Anaheim Ducks.

Whenever you add a player like Rempe to the lineup, it forces the other team to adapt its style. With the enforcer on the ice, many players are scared to face him and will try to get rid of the puck as fast as possible, causing chances. Rempe can also bring a lot of energy to his bench by doing what he does best: playing a physical game.

The Rangers are on the eve of an important game, as they're set to face the Washington Capitals. This will be the first time both teams meet on the ice since Ovechkin and his teammates were swept from last year's first playoff round. If New York loses, the Capitals will be only one point behind the Rangers in the Metropolitan Division, with a game in hand. If New York wins, they'll take the division's first place from the New Jersey Devils.