Edmonton Oilers interested in trading for NHL's most notorious tough guy: report

The Edmonton Oilers are reportedly interested in adding some toughness to the lineup.

Depth scoring has been an early issue for the Oilers to start the season, but a new report says that Mike Babcock is more interested in making his team tougher to play against. According to NHL insider Frank Seravalli, the veteran head coach is already pushing for GM Stan Bowman to make some moves to add some toughness.

Among the names that Babcock reportedly likes is notorious New York Rangers enforcer Matt Rempe, who stands a towering six-foot-nine and weighs 268 pounds.

“Babcock has campaigned internally for more size and brawn in his forward group, which GM Stan Bowman is now examining on the trade market,” Seravalli wrote for Sportsnet on Thursday. “One name that Babcock is believed to admire is New York Rangers forward Matt Rempe.”

The 24-year-old Rempe has made quite a name for himself over the past couple of seasons. The Calgary native is very much a throwback player in that he specializes in bringing physicality and dropping the gloves more than anything on the defensive or offensive end of the puck.

He has appeared in just 87 NHL games with the Rangers over the past four seasons, where he has five goals and 11 points in that span. The 154 penalty minutes and 11 fighting majors that Rempe has acquired in that same span tell the story of his playstyle.

Edmonton should tread carefully, however, in any trade they make for Rempe. Though he is one of the NHL’s most feared enforcers, he doesn’t bring a lot else to the table outside of his fists. That is a major reason he has played so few games and why the Rangers are looking to move on from him.

A mid-round draft pick or middling prospect/AHL player should be the maximum amount that Bowman should be willing to give up to acquire Rempe. Anything else risks the trade being lopsided in New York’s favour.

It should also be expected that Rempe wouldn’t be an everyday player for the Oilers, and would likely only come into the lineup every so often in high-emotion games to persuade opposing players to leave Edmonton’s star players alone.

Oilers fans have to admit, however, that a fourth line involving Rempe, Colton Dach, and Trent Frederic might be one of the scariest in the entire NHL.