Head coach Peter Laviolette has not given the official word, but all signs point to Matt Rempe becoming the first player in history to make his NHL debut in an outdoor game.
The 6-foot-8 ¹/₂ forward has skated on the Rangers fourth line and participated in practice as if he is in the lineup the last two days.
And yet, Laviolette has pumped the brakes on any line of questioning related to officially declaring Rempe in the Rangers lineup.
“We’re still working through that,” Laviolette said Saturday after the Blueshirts wrapped up their final practice before they take their talents outdoors for the Stadium Series against the Islanders at MetLife Stadium.
Maybe it’s to downplay what could be an incredibly overwhelming moment for a player who has been on a fast track lately.
Maybe it was to keep Rempe motivated during these last two practices to prove he is NHL ready.
Maybe it is just to keep Sunday’s opponent, the Islanders, on their toes.
Rempe would be etched in league history if he plays Sunday, and that’s outside noise — pun intended — by itself.
Mixing that in with the fact that it is a Stadium Series game against a rival opponent in front of a potential sellout crowd of approximately 82,000 at MetLife Stadium, there’s a lot to process.
“That would be pretty unbelievable,” Rempe said after the outdoor practice Friday. “Unreal week. Dream come true.”
The 21-year-old has taken all his reps on the right wing of Barclay Goodrow and Adam Edstrom, who is slated to skate in his fourth NHL game and third in a row with the Rangers on Sunday.
With Rempe at 6-8 ¹/₂, Edstrom listed at 6-7 and Goodrow rounding the unit out at 6-2, the trio makes up one of the tallest fourth lines for the Rangers since John Tortorella put Mike Rupp (6-5), Brian Boyle (6-6) and John Scott (6-8) on a line together.
“They’re both big players, they skate well, they’ve had good seasons to this point,” Laviolette said of Rempe and Edstrom. “They can bring a lot of good defense, smart game, physicality, pucks deep, get in on it, forecheck, go to the net. They both have played well. They’ve both had good years.”
Adam Fox, who turned 26 on Saturday, has points in seven of his last 10 games (one goal, 12 assists) after a four-assist effort Thursday.
With 43 points on the season so far, Fox joined Rangers assistant coach Phil Housley, Mark Howe and Gary Suter as the fourth U.S.-born defenseman to record at least 40 points in each of his first five seasons.
The Rangers are scheduled to be off Monday before they take on the Stars at the Garden on Tuesday.
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