New York Rangers Fourth Line Needs to Distinguish Themselves To Begin The 2025-26 Season

The Rangers have a couple of not-so-secret weapons in their pocket, in the "Rempire Towers". The duo consists of Adam Edstrom and Matt Rempe.

The two have just signed duplicate contracts, with a total of $1.95 million over the next two years. The Rempire Towers are good at one thing on the ice, creating chaos and taking advantage of it.

Edstrom, a former 2019 Draft pick, had spent the beginning of his career in the AHL with the Hartford Wolfpack. He'd earn a call-up and would score 2 points in 11 games.

However, this season he'd play in the NHL for the majority of the year, playing 51 games and scoring 9 points (5-4). Edstrom has proven himself to be more than capable of holding his own against NHL players in front of the net and on defense. But a lower-body injury on February 1st would end his season, and since then, he's been in recovery.

His partner, Matt Rempe, was a former 2020 Draft pick and would make his debut in the NHL during 2023-24. While his production in the AHL, 12 points (8-4) in 43 games with the Wolfpack, would earn a call-up, he'd be nothing more than a goon at first.

Rempe has since evolved his game since then, but last season would score only 2 points (1-1) in 50 games, and would spend the majority of his time fighting NHL heavyweights, with a 5:38 ATOI.

This season, he's proven he's more than capable of being trusted, scoring 8 points (3-5) in 42 games with the Rangers. In order to help push the Rangers in the playoffs, he'll have to contribute to the forecheck, utilizing his size and physicality to benefit the team on a nightly basis, as he did in 2024-25, adding 117 hits, and "setting the tone".

While they'll need center Sam Carrick to show up like he did last season and play a reliable game on the fourth line. The former Edmonton Oiler signed a 3-year, $3 million deal in New York. He'd win 54.2% of his face-offs at the circle and would score 20 points (6-14) in 80 games.

Depth Center Jonny Brodzinski is another player whom the Rangers may have to rely on when times get tough. Brodzinski has been a Ranger for the last five years and had a stellar year, producing 13 points (6-7) in 57 games with the Blueshirts.

Head Coach Mike Sullivan will have his choice of combinations to make of these four players, but they did excellently last season in spite of a down year the Rangers suffered.