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The Edmonton Oilers are winning hockey games, but apparently Mike Babcock believes something is still missing from his lineup. And the solution could be standing 6-foot-9 in the New York Rangers‘ press box.
According to Sportsnet’s Frank Seravalli, Babcock has been pushing for more size and physicality among Edmonton’s forwards. One player he reportedly admires is Rangers heavyweight Matt Rempe, a 24-year-old who has struggled to secure regular playing time in New York.
It’s an intriguing possibility. Rempe could bring a completely different dimension to an Oilers lineup built around Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.
But there’s a catch.
Rempe carries a $975,000 salary-cap hit, while Edmonton entered Friday with approximately $154,000 in current cap space and a full 23-man active roster. That makes this considerably more complicated than simply sending the Rangers a draft pick.
And there’s another question worth asking: Would Rempe actually make Edmonton a better playoff team, or would he become another expensive roster decision once the games get serious?
Why the Edmonton Oilers Are Interested in Matt Rempe
Seravalli’s October 29 report identified a specific objective for Babcock: making Edmonton tougher to play against.
The Oilers already have the offensive talent to overwhelm opponents. They’ve opened the season 9-2-2, and McDavid continues to produce at an extraordinary pace.
The potential interest in Rempe isn’t about adding another goal scorer. It’s about changing the personality of Edmonton’s bottom six.
At 6-foot-9 and 268 pounds, Rempe is among the NHL’s most physically imposing forwards. He’s willing to drop the gloves, finish checks and create confrontations opponents would rather avoid.
For Edmonton, the appeal is obvious.
When opponents target McDavid or Draisaitl physically, having a legitimate heavyweight could provide an additional deterrent.
However, intimidation and effective hockey aren’t necessarily the same thing.
A player can change the atmosphere of a game without changing its outcome. Edmonton needs to determine whether Rempe can consistently accomplish both.
Why the New York Rangers Might Consider Trading Matt Rempe
Here’s where the rumor becomes especially interesting.
Rempe has appeared in just two of the Rangers’ first 14 games this season, recording no points while averaging only 6:46 of ice time.
That isn’t the workload of a player New York currently considers essential.
Under former coach Peter Laviolette and current coach Mike Sullivan, Rempe has largely been used in a limited role.
Across 87 career NHL games, he has recorded five goals, six assists and 154 penalty minutes.
Those numbers reveal a player whose impact is defined more by physicality than production.
My concern isn’t that Rempe lacks value. It’s that his value becomes difficult to measure when coaches don’t trust him with regular minutes.
If the Rangers cannot establish a consistent role for him, general manager Chris Drury must consider whether recovering an asset is preferable to keeping a player who rarely dresses.
Rempe is also waiver-eligible, creating another consideration as New York manages its roster.
Matt Rempe Trade Fit Index
Matt Rempe’s Contract Creates an Edmonton Oilers Salary-Cap Problem
This is the part of the story that deserves considerably more attention.
Rempe is signed through the 2026-27 season at a $975,000 annual cap hit. He is scheduled to become a restricted free agent in 2027.
On the surface, that sounds affordable. However, PuckPedia’s October 30 figures show Edmonton with approximately $154,000 in current cap space. The difference is roughly $821,000.
That simplified calculation doesn’t account for simultaneous roster changes, injured-reserve considerations or other cap-management options. But it illustrates why adding Rempe would require more than exchanging draft picks.
Edmonton would need to make the numbers work.
And with an active roster already at the 23-player limit, somebody would likely need to move off the roster.
Would Bowman sacrifice another depth forward to add a player who might only play seven minutes per game?
That’s the calculation that makes this rumor worth watching.
What Would the Rangers Want for Matt Rempe?
Seravalli raised the possibility of a mid-round draft pick as an acquisition cost. That was a hypothetical price, not a confirmed Rangers demand.
I wouldn’t recommend Edmonton surrender a premium asset.
Rempe has a recognizable identity, but 11 career points in 87 games hardly establish him as an offensive upgrade.
A conditional late-round selection would make more sense to me than an unconditional mid-round pick, particularly given the limited role he has played in New York.
That is my proposed negotiating position, not a reported offer.
The Rangers could reasonably argue that Rempe’s age, size and restricted-free-agent status provide upside.
But his limited NHL usage weakens their leverage.
NHLTR Trade Value Analysis: Is Matt Rempe Worth the Gamble?
Our editorial trade-fit model gives Rempe a 57/100 fit score for Edmonton.
His biggest strengths are physical presence and an inexpensive individual contract.
His weaknesses are offensive production, limited ice time and uncertain deployment.
The score is an editorial assessment, not an NHL statistic or a prediction that a trade will happen.
The distinction matters because Edmonton doesn’t need to win a publicity contest. It needs players capable of helping win a Stanley Cup.
A physical fourth-line winger has value, but only if the coaching staff can trust him to take regular shifts without becoming a liability.
Could Rempe’s Next Rangers Game Reveal Something?
There’s an unusual scheduling wrinkle.
The Edmonton Oilers are scheduled to visit the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden on Sunday, November 1.
With Rempe spending most of the season outside New York’s lineup, his availability and usage will draw additional attention.
A return to the lineup would provide another opportunity to evaluate him. Another healthy scratch would reinforce the question of where he fits.
Neither outcome would independently establish whether a trade is imminent.
Still, it gives both fan bases a specific development to monitor.
My Take: Edmonton Needs More Than Just a Fighter
I understand why Babcock would appreciate Rempe’s presence.
There are moments, particularly in the playoffs, when a team needs somebody willing to make opponents uncomfortable.
But I’m skeptical that toughness alone solves a meaningful roster weakness.
The Oilers already have players capable of playing a physical game. What they need from any additional forward is a reliable shift, responsible defensive positioning and enough puck skill to keep plays moving in the right direction.
Rempe could eventually become that player. At 24, his development isn’t necessarily finished.
But I would rather see Edmonton acquire a physical forward who can handle 10 dependable minutes every night than a specialist who spends crucial games watching from the press box.
The latest reporting establishes Edmonton’s interest in adding toughness and Babcock’s admiration for Rempe. It does not confirm that a trade is close.
Until that changes, this remains an intriguing possibility rather than a pending transaction.
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