Future of Rangers’ 4th line might be Jaroslav Chmelar-Adam Sykora, not Twin Towers

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Since Rempe and Edstrom made their NHL debuts during the 2023-24 season under former coach Peter Laviolette, it’s been impossible not to dream on the idea of the 6-foot-9, 261-pound Rempe and the 6-7, 232-pound Edstrom overwhelming and terrifying opponents as part of a gigantic fourth line. But in practice, the concept has largely been just that — a dream.

The pair played their first game together Feb. 18, 2024, but they’ve been on the ice for only 33 games together overall. Injuries, underperformance and suspensions are threatening to render the Rempe-Edstrom combo little more than a footnote in Rangers history.

The hard truth is that the duo might just be too high-maintenance to depend upon. Rempe has yet to fully shed the label of being something of a sideshow. He may never figure out how to avoid to the penalties, suspensions and game misconducts that have dogged him through his 85-game NHL career. His huge size and physicality are both a blessing and a curse, bringing with them constant scrutiny from officials. The 23-year-old was also limited to 26 games this season by a thumb injury he incurred in a fight with San Jose Sharks tough guy Ryan Reaves in October.

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Edstrom can’t avoid the injury bug either. His 2024-25 season ended on Feb. 1, 2025, due to a lower-body injury, and he missed 33 straight games from late November to early March this season with another lower-body issue.

After he returned, coach Mike Sullivan experimented with him at center on the fourth line. But Sullivan didn’t care for what he saw and made Edstrom a healthy scratch for the final 11 games of the season.

With their inability to stay in the lineup, the two giants with uncommon skill sets for their size struggle to make an impact. Their problems stand in stark contrast to the fourth-line combination that Sullivan discovered and preferred late in the season — Chmelar and Sykora.

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Chmelar, a 6-4, 226-pound right wing who was the Rangers’ fifth-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, made his debut Nov. 7 and decisively won a fight against the Detroit Red Wings’ Travis Hamonic. He played two games that month, went back down to Hartford and was recalled for four games in December.

After another trip back to Hartford, the 22-year-old got the call again in early March and never went back down, playing in 22 straight games to end the season and scoring four goals with two assists.

Chmelar was apparently overlooked in the draft, perhaps because of a less-than-impressive two years at Providence College. But two-plus years of steady development with the Wolf Pack made him into a viable candidate for an NHL roster spot. He has the quickness to go with his straight-line speed, scoring touch and tenacity on the forecheck.

“The biggest observation I’ve had this time around is Jaro is playing the game with a lot more pace,” Sullivan said March 18. “Both with his anticipation skills, his recognition skills, and his physical foot speed. His ability to get on top of people, and get on top of pucks, and he’s using his size to his advantage. He’s a physical guy, he’s a big man. And he’s strong and he’s hard to play against. When he finishes checks, he can create anxiety; he can unnerve the opponent.

“I think he’s picked up a step. He’s faster in all the forms that I think is helping him have more success.”

Sykora, a second-round pick (No. 63 overall) in 2022, was yet another young forward the organization chose to take a look at during a second straight non-playoff season. He made his NHL debut March 25 and also caught Sullivan’s eye — and his teammates’ affection — with his work ethic, high motor and effervescent personality in the dressing room.

Like Chmelar, Sykora is hard on the puck and quick to pressure opponents on the forecheck, and also comes with some offensive touch. The 21-year-old scored three goals, a product of his penchant for buzzing the net and his relentless style, one that should evoke memories of and comparisons to short-term Rangers fan favorite Tyler Motte. As with Chmelar, Sykora, at 5-11 and 193 pounds, earned his promotion to the big club with consistent growth at Hartford over three-plus seasons.

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The pair, teammates at Hartford and eventual roommates there, are close friends. Their bubbly, positive personas and funny, endearing stories about two European players making their way through the minors to the NHL feel like the basis for a 1980s buddy sitcom. It’s their work on the ice, however, that will ultimately dictate how that story goes.

Some of their underlying metrics in 11 games together weren’t pretty; Sykora and Chmelar posted a 39.7 expected goal share at 5-on-5, per Natural Stat Trick. Still, the Rangers tied opponents at three goals apiece with the duo on at even strength and outchanced them 25-24 — not bad on a team that finished last in the Eastern Conference.

Sykora and Chmelar provide just what teams are looking for from their fourth line – energy, forecheck, speed and the ability to provide pressure in the offensive zone. That both players appear to have untapped offensive potential is also an encouraging sign. It might just make Sullivan more likely to ride with the pair on the fourth line over Edstrom and Rempe next season.

“He’s relentless. He’s a dog on a bone on the puck,” Sullivan said March 27 about Sykora, with the coach going on to also rave about his subtle understanding of the NHL game, along with his infectious personality. “It doesn’t matter what the score is, he’s gonna give you 110 percent. He gives you everything he has, and we love that about him.”

For that to happen, Sykora and Chmelar need to improve their ability to drive play. In their 33 games as linemates, Rempe and Edstrom helped the Rangers outscore opponents 8-3 and out-chance them 83-71, including 42-28 in high-danger chances. That impact can’t be ignored.

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The Sykora-Chmelar combination, though, feels more dependable. Chmelar does a lot of the same things Rempe does, and Sykora clearly did more to get on Sullivan’s good side than Edstrom — although the organization probably isn’t ready to give up on the hulking sixth-round pick in the 2019 draft just yet. It’s worth noting that the Rangers likely hold Sykora in higher regard as a prospect after picking him in the second round four years ago.

What seems certain is that both players will push Rempe and Edstrom for fourth-line roles next season — and the newcomers might just have the inside track. The ceilings for Chmelar and Sykora could be higher than those of Rempe and Edstrom. The answer to that question will have to wait until training camp.

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