The Rangers sent Matt Rempe to the Hartford Wolf Pack after Thursday night’s 3-1 loss to the Panthers.
Rempe watched from the press box for the second straight contest and the fifth time this season, which is presumably at the center of why the Blueshirts opted to assign the 6-foot-8 ½ forward to the AHL.
Word is the Rangers still believe Rempe has a bright future, but management believes more playing time in Hartford is the most beneficial thing for the 22-year-old right now.
The emergence of Adam Edstrom, who had a much stronger training camp than Rempe, and head coach Peter Laviolette’s preference for Jonny Brodzinski, left big No. 73 in street clothes in five of the Rangers’ seven games.
Even in the two games he played, Rempe logged just 3:47 and 7:37 of ice time, respectively.
After making a name for himself with his blistering hits and fists in just 17 regular-season games and 11 playoff contests last season, Rempe strived to improve his all-around game this past offseason.
He refined his game in certain areas, but it was largely overshadowed in training camp by other rookie performances from Edstrom, Victor Mancini and Brett Berard.
There is clearly still a hesitancy from Laviolette to play Rempe, who didn’t get much of an extended chance to secure the right-wing spot on the fourth line.
Jimmy Vesey skated with the Rangers Thursday morning for the first time since suffering a lower-body injury in the preseason.
Wearing a green non-contact jersey, Vesey participated in the team’s morning skate ahead of Thursday night’s game. It’s an encouraging sign for Vesey, who fell in training camp practice Sept. 29 and subsequently was put on long-term injured reserve Oct. 7.
“It’s part of the progression,” Laviolette said. “The next step in his long road back. That was good to have him out there. He looks good.”
On LTIR, a player must miss a minimum of 10 games. Thursday counted as the seventh contest Vesey has missed, meaning the earliest the 31-year-old wing can return is Nov. 3 against the Islanders.
The game against Florida was also the 11th straight Vesey has missed with the Rangers, dating back to Game 3 against the Panthers in the Eastern Conference Final in last season’s playoffs.
Vesey suffered a separated shoulder on a hit from ex-Panther Ryan Lomberg (now with the Flames) in Game 2 of that series.
Chad Ruhwedel was placed on waivers before the game. If he clears, the 34-year-old presumably will be assigned to AHL Hartford.
Igor Shesterkin finished with 26 saves on 29 shots in his sixth start of the season.
His save percentage dipped from .932 entering the contest to .926 by the end, which went from No. 4 in the NHL to eighth among goalies with at least four starts.
Zac Jones was a healthy scratch for the third straight game.
