Matt Rempe may be NHL’s villain, but he’s vital for Rangers

WASHINGTON — The NHL’s Public Enemy No. 1 took a seat in his stall in the back corner of the room following his team’s optional practice Saturday and drew chuckles from the assembled audience by spinning a tale about being killed 68 times in Halo by Chris Kreider following the previous night’s Game 3. 

The Rempe Police probably would have been horrified by the scene. The vigilant constables want this 6-foot-8¹/₂ menace in cuffs. They think he is too big. They think he hits too hard. They think the Rangers should not be allowed to have a player like this who does not assume the position just because that’s the way it’s always kind of been done, 

It’s unfortunate that Trevor van Riemsdyk sustained an injury on the hit he took from Rempe that was called interference midway through the first period, but the blow in fact was probably legal — and hardly venal. It happens all the time with a player taking a hit a half-second after releasing the puck, but it’s not routine for that hit to be delivered by a player of that size and who skates with that force. 

That hit, in fact, is The Rempe and doing The Rempe has the Rangers up 3-0 in their first-round series seeking to complete the sweep over the Caps and move on to Round 2. The series has been less a demonstration of sheer skill than focused will for the Presidents’ Trophy winners, who have maintained their attention through a 180-minute taffy pull in which time and space has expectedly been at a premium. 

Remember when it appeared it might be too risky for head coach Peter Laviolette to have Rempe in the lineup for the playoffs if No. 73 were picking up undisciplined penalties and couldn’t be trusted on the ice? 

The Rangers have won their last 12 games with Rempe in the lineup. The Rangers are 17-2-1 overall with Rempe in the lineup since he made his debut in the outdoor game Feb. 18. There is value there and it is palpable and the Rangers are riding his wave.