In just 17 games, New York Rangers’ Matt Rempe has quickly ascended to the top of the NHL’s most polarizing player list. His physical presence and commitment to playing the old-fashioned way have sparked conversation around the now-controversial element of fighting.
At 6-foot-7, Rempe is hard to miss when he takes the ice. His relentless pursuit of the big hit and postgame interview charm had fans chanting his name at Madison Square Garden despite averaging 5:38 of ice time a night. His soundbites are gold, and his genuine love of the game is evident.
His path to the NHL is not traditional. Rempe, who was selected in the sixth round of the 2020 NHL Draft, decided to use his size and physicality to impact the game outside the scoresheet. The Alberta native debuted at the 2024 NHL Stadium Series, dropping the gloves with Matt Martin on his first shift.
Rempe isn’t satisfied with just being the prototypical tough guy, though. In his exit day interview, Rempe told the media, “I am going to work on every single part of my game. I want to bring more to the table. I want to be a guy who could play 8-12 minutes every single night. I want to be really good defensively and eventually be a penalty killer. Work on my skating, skillset, making plays with the puck, passing. Every part of my game.”
The drive to be a reliable two-way player with more to offer than just a long reach and the prowess to be an enforcer is there. Hard work comes easy when you’re motivated, and Rempe seems motivated to prove to himself and the Rangers that he can fill the fourth-line role perfectly.
It all starts with continued work in the offseason.
Rempe’s Offseason Has Been All-Encompassing
Rempe kicked off his offseason with a three-day training session with former NHL enforcer Georges Laraque. Laraque, one of the most feared men in hockey during his playing tenure, reached out to Rempe to help him with his technique for self-preservation more than anything else.
According to the NY Post, Laraque said this about Rempe: “I’m telling you, the Rempe that you see — and again, not saying that he’s going to look for it, but because of how physical he is it might happen — you will see a much different fighter. I pity any of these guys that will have to answer to him.”
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Watching the 22-year-old repeatedly fight some of the NHL’s heavyweights was a sight. It also showed how green Rempe was regarding pure fighting technique and skill. Hopefully, the sessions with Laraque will aid that, making Rempe more imposing to the opposition and more defensive, allowing him to avoid significant injury.
But the videos from those sessions left everyone wondering: What about the improvements promised to the rest of his game?
At the Shoulder Check Showcase charity game on July 25, Rempe announced that he was back in the tri-state area for good, declining a trip back to his native Alberta to train alongside teammate Chris Kreider. The veteran winger appears to have taken Rempe under his wing, and with two months to go before training camp and preseason play, he will do some extra work on his all-around game.
Refining the bits and pieces of his skating, defense, and puck-handling will hopefully elevate Rempe into a more prominent role next season, one in which metrics more than hits and fights will measure his value.
Rempe’s Role Next Season
With Barclay Goodrow’s departure, the Rangers could use Rempe’s improved defensive game. Sam Carrick was signed to replace Goodrow as the fourth-line center, but improvements from Rempe would go a long way toward creating a revamped shutdown fourth line featuring Carrick, Rempe, and Jimmy Vesey.
With Adam Edstrom and Jonny Brodzinksi fighting for a lineup spot, Rempe’s offseason improvements could help win the roster battle out of camp. His presence on the ice will indeed be a factor, but if he can tone down the major penalties and improve his effectiveness on the ice, it becomes easier for head coach Peter Laviolette to pencil his name in on a nightly basis.
The Eastern Conference is loaded with talent, and having a player who cannot keep up is a recipe for disaster. An improved Rempe would allow the Rangers’ physical element to remain while not being disadvantaged when he is out there. For Rempe, the guide to the offseason is simple: Continued hard work and no time for relaxing. Improving all facets of his game is the only way to secure a spot, and Rempe’s training with Laraque and his new training partner, Kreider, will help get him there.
