It only took one fight to change the energy around Madison Square Garden—and not in the way fans hoped. Matt Rempe, the Rangers’ 6-foot-8 enforcer, threw down with LA Kings bruiser Tanner Jeannot in a fight that left the crowd roaring. But the aftermath? Not so electric.

Now sidelined with an upper-body injury, Rempe’s physical presence is missing from the lineup just as the Rangers hit the most critical stretch of their season. And with only a few weeks left, the timeline doesn’t look encouraging.

Per Newsday’s Colin Stephenson, Matt Rempe is officially week-to-week following game on March 26—a label that often signals more than a short stint away. Although it wasn’t disclosed when or how exactly he sustained the injury, the fight could have been it. The Rangers ruled him out for Friday’s matchup against the Anaheim Ducks, and the rest of their California road trip. With just a few weeks left before the postseason, Rempe’s regular season may already be over.

That’s a tough blow for New York. While Rempe’s production has been modest—five points in 36 games—his real impact has come through grit, energy, and 103 bone-rattling hits. The 22-year-old quickly earned fan-favorite status and brought a unique edge to the fourth line that’s now suddenly missing.

To plug the hole, the Rangers are turning to another youngster: Brett Berard. The 2020 fifth-rounder has tallied four goals and four assists in 28 appearances this season and is now expected to see consistent ice time on the bottom line.

How can the Rangers fill the gap left by Matt Rempe?

With both Rempe and Adam Edstrom out, the “Rempire Towers” have temporarily collapsed. But the door is wide open for Brett Berard to carve out his spot—maybe even long-term.

Berard, 22, has flashed offensive upside and provided decent depth scoring in his limited NHL action. If he can seize this opportunity, it might force GM Chris Drury to reconsider his long-term spot in the lineup, even beyond 2025. And while Rempe was a mainstay on the 4th line, Berard is a more versatile player, giving Peter Laviolette the room to possibly reshuffle some of the lines.

Still, Rempe’s absence creates more than a scoring gap. His physicality has become part of the Rangers’ identity down the stretch, and the locker room feels it. In a tight playoff race where physical intensity ramps up, New York will need others to fill that void—fast.

With the postseason looming, it’s still unclear whether Rempe will return in time for Round 1. If the Rangers do end up making the playoffs, that is. The Blueshirts are keeping things close to the chest, but for now, fans will have to prepare for a playoff run without one of their most punishing presences on the ice.

Through 36 games this season, Rempe has carved out a niche with 103 hits, 63 penalty minutes, and two goals alongside three assists. Though his ice time rarely tops 10 minutes per game, his presence can swing momentum. Sometimes all it takes is a well timed punch to jolt the team into action.

With New York clinging so close to a wildcard spot in a tight Eastern Conference race, losing that kind of intangible edge could have real consequences in the standings.