The Carolina Hurricanes’ road to the Stanley Cup continues on Sunday. They will play the New York Rangers back in New York after eliminating the New York Islanders in five games. The Washington Capitals, the team that the President Trophy winners faced in the first round, were easily defeated. The Rangers spoiled the Canes with a series sweep, giving them a few extra days off.
Experts have examined and researched the series match-up in advance of game one, but every series contains an unexpected player who can have a significant impact on the series. Against the Rangers, Brendan Lemieux will fit into this category.
Lemieux, a former player for the Rangers, offers a strategy to the game that will offset some of the more physically strong players in the Rangers roster. Although the Rangers are a quick and aggressive zone team, New York, under the leadership of captain Jacob Trouba, can move the body around.
Of course, rookie Matt Rempe is the center of attention when it comes to the physical play with the blue shirts. Rempe’s penchant of dropping the gloves has made him the buzz of the league ever since he entered it. He dropped the gloves with Matt Martin of the Islanders during his first shift in the NHL.
In just 17 appearances, the 6’7 forward accrued 71 penalty minutes. In the opening round, he managed to score and kept making news with a near-miss hit. The term “goon” has been applied to Rempe, but in the upcoming weeks, it will be necessary to refute his physical presence.
In order to get more scoring up front, the Canes gave up some physicality at the trade deadline. The team was dangerous because of the transfers, but some grit was lost with the loss of Michael Bunting. Lemieux played in just 32 games throughout the season due to his limited use. In the few minutes he had available, he made a significant impact and contributed to the physical aspect of the game in addition to playing a solid two-way game. The previous Buffalo.
Lemieux is undoubtedly an agitator who has the ability to wear down opponents physically and take them off their game. Lemieux, who has soft hands and is gifted, is not a top-line player but he is also not a burden on the rink. He might have greater value to the lineup than Jack Drury or Jesperi Kotkaniemi due to his potential. Lemieux will almost probably see the ice, even if it’s just for a consoling fill-in game.
