tRY IT NOW“Whatever rep you’re getting, just make the most of it,” Rempe said from his locker Thursday morning, but the lack of continuity sent a signal.
asserted
lack → try → signal
Rempe knew entering training camp that he had a lot to prove.
asserted
he → know → lot
His thumb injury — and the two procedures that followed his fight with Ryan Reaves — limited him to just 26 games last season.
asserted
that → follow → games
His last NHL game before Monday’s preseason game against the Devils was Feb. 5, and head coach Mike Sullivan acknowledged that Rempe simply needs to play games.
asserted
Rempe → acknowledge → games
The emergence of Chmelar over the final two months of the regular season complicated his path back to the right side of the fourth line too.
asserted
emergence → complicate → line
The opening days of a condensed training camp reiterated that notion, and Rempe admitted there’s “100 percent” desperation to land a spot on the Blueshirts’ roster.
asserted
Rempe → reiterate → roster
“Being on the team the last couple years … a lot of it, like last year, was hurt and wasn’t really around at all,” Rempe said pregame.
asserted
Rempe → hurt → year
I want to be here bad, yeah.”
asserted
I → want → ?
Even after returning from his first thumb procedure in December, Rempe, 24, was a shell of the physical presence the Blueshirts were used to, struggling with shooting, puck movement and anything that involved the left thumb that he broke during the October fight with Reaves.
asserted
he → return → Reaves
But Rempe said Monday that he’s back to that level.
asserted
he → say → level
He doesn’t know if there will be a mental hurdle to clear when he drops the gloves for the first time — “I guess we’ll see,” he said — but said his hand has been on another jersey numerous times while training over the summer.
asserted
hand → know → summer
The buzz created by the fan favorite’s arrival back in 2023-24 — when he fought ex-Islander Matt Martin before the faceoff of his first shift — is in danger of being extinguished altogether if he doesn’t carve out a role, though.
asserted
he → create → role
The shocking numbers from his debut season have become a distant memory too.
asserted
numbers → become → season
There were the 47 penalty minutes and three game misconducts against the Devils in 2024, and the old-school bout against Nicolas Deslauriers in a game in February of that year that ended with Rempe scoring the winning goal.
asserted
Rempe → be → goal
So much has changed since then to make his Rangers future murky.
asserted
future → change → ?
There are plenty of factors that could impact that reality over the next week too, with Rempe needing to clear waivers to get assigned to AHL Hartford.
uncertain
Rempe → be → Hartford
The Rangers have worked on helping Rempe with his defensive awareness and reliability, Sullivan said, and Rempe has consistently talked about wanting to add more to his offensive game than just the five goals and 11 points currently on his ledger.
asserted
Rempe → work → ledger
“He’s an unnerved player,” Sullivan said.
asserted
Sullivan → ’ → ?
“He’s a disruptive player.
asserted
He → ’ → ?
When he’s in the lineup, your opponents take notice, so he has the ability to create that anxiety.
asserted
he → ’ → anxiety
But I think at this point, [Rempe] just needs to play.”
asserted
Rempe → think → point
To showcase that he’s truly recovered from a physicality standpoint, Rempe felt like he had a good summer — and a good start to training camp too.
asserted
he → showcase → camp
“I feel like I’m in a good spot,” Rempe said Monday.
asserted
Rempe → feel → spot
But the optics suggest otherwise.
asserted
optics → suggest → ?
And he’s running out of time to change that.
asserted
he → run → that
“I think I know what is expected of me,” Rempe said.
asserted
Rempe → think → me
“Like I think it’s early in camp and stuff, but I know what my game is.
asserted
game → think → camp
I know what’s expected of me and what I gotta bring and what type of elements my game has.
asserted
game → know → elements
I know what I need to do.”
asserted
I → know → what
The Aporia
