Big guys in flux after deadline
MATT REMPE took two shifts in the third period of Monday’s 4-2 Garden defeat to the Panthers and so did young linemate Adam Edstrom with each sitting for the final 13:49 of the match.
And if head coach Peter Laviolette cut down his bench to this extent in this showdown for firstplace overall in the NHL, then what are the odds that the Tall Men will be on the roster when Friday’s trade deadline comes and goes?
The Rangers never backed down in this one against a snarly opponent that enga- ges on essentially every loose puck in front. They stood their ground, perhaps energized by Rempe, who threw a game- high five hits in 6:53 of ice time and has been credited with a total of 28 hits in 40:32 across his eight-game career.
There is a sense of anticipation every time Rempe steps onto the ice. His teammates have seemed energized by his presence. But it is unclear whether No. 73 will be on the roster when the Rangers next play Saturday at home against the Blues.
If GM Chris Drury can fortify the top-nine this week — and that is his charge with the Blueshirts leading Carolina by six points in the Metro with the ’Canes holding a game in hand — then Rempe may become an immediate (and perhaps shortterm) victim of numbers.
The Post has learned that the Blueshirts are engaging in negotiations with Seattle over rental center Alex Wennberg, identified two weeks ago in this space as a target. Wennberg, 29, is a two-way, responsible center who can also play up on the wing if that is preferred or required. The Blueshirts are believed to be offering a second-rounder plus a mid-level prospect for the Swede.
Barclay Goodrow played the middle between Will Cuylle and Jimmy Vesey in this one in which Laviolette matched the unit against the Nick Cousins-Sam Bennett-Matthew Tkachuk unit. Wennberg presumably would replace Goodrow as the third-line center. But would Goodrow move down to the fourth line or might he shift to right wing on a checking line?
If the Rangers do acquire a right wing to skate with Mika Zibanejad and Chris Kreider — and we are told that Drury is in there pitching for Frank Vatrano — then does Kaapo Kakko move back down to the third line? These are questions that cannot be answered until the deadline is in the rearview.
We are told that Anaheim GM Pat Verbeek is demanding a heavy price for Vatrano, who has one additional year left on his contract and we are also told that Drury is balking at sacrificing a first-rounder to bring No. 77 back to New York two years after his role in the run to the conference finals.
And no, Kakko most certainly is not in play for a deal anything like this.
The perpetual need for the Rangers to toughen up may have been alleviated by Rempe’s promotion. There’s a different buzz that accompanies his shifts. But Laviolette and the staff may believe the 21-year-old is too raw to be trusted with playoff responsibility. It is very difficult for a team to dress a player who might get 7:00 of ice time in the postseason grind.
If the Rangers add two forwards, the trickle-down effect might eliminate spots for both Rempe and Edstrom, who have changed the tone of the team over the last two-plus weeks.
Keep in mind that there is no roster limit following the deadline. Remember, too, that the Rangers will be permitted four recalls from the AHL Wolf Pack until Hartford is done for the year. Theoretically, Rempe and Edstrom could go down Tuesday before being recalled after the deadline Friday.
But that would only leave two available recalls for the Blueshirts, who also will have to conform with the cap the rest of the regular season. Drury has approximately $4.383 million in cap space with which to maneuver.
The Rangers have gone toe-totoe with the league’s big boys since the All-Star break and they have more than hung in. They beat Dallas. They beat Colorado and Tampa Bay. They lost in a shootout to Toronto. They beat both their intramural rivals from New Jersey and the Island.
Of all the best imperfect teams in the NHL, the Rangers are one of them.
Over the next four days, Drury and the hierarchy will attempt to bolster the lineup for the present without giving away keys to the future. It will sure be interesting to see where Rempe lands in this equation.