Who Is Matt Rempe, the New York Rangers’ newest enforcer?

Matt Rempe has only played in the NHL since February 2024, but has certainly made a name for himself in a short amount of time. The rookie has found himself in multiple skirmishes for the New York Rangers, which has given him cult hero status already, according to Bleacher Report. We’ll understand why he’s trending and his journey to the pros. Statistics are sourced from Hockey Reference.

Matt Rempe made his NHL debut on a grand stage. His first game came in an outdoor contest at MetLife Stadium on February 18, featuring the Rangers and the crosstown rival New York Islanders.

Before the puck dropped on his shift NHL shift, Rempe looked to bring the physicality. He dropped the gloves and fought the Islanders’ Matt Martin, in an unexpected by highly entertaining “welcome to the NHL’ moment.

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Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette seemed to indicate after Rempe’s first contest that this style is what they had in mind for him from day one. Daily Campus reported Laviolette’s feedback after the Islanders game: “Rempe came in here and provided exactly what we wanted him to do.”

In his fourth NHL contest against the Philadelphia Flyers, Rempe brought the fist to cuffs again, this time against Nicolas Deslauriers. According to USA Today, Rempe said Deslauriers challenged him to a fight before the game, and the rookie was more than willing to oblige. The two didn’t wait long to square off, as they traded blows in the first period.

Rempe’s confrontational ways continued the very next night against the Columbus Blue Jackets. As was the case the previous evening, Rempe got his fighting in right away in the first period, this time against Mathieu Olivier.

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Rempe told ABC: “I’m loving it. It want to bring that physicality, that edge to the team, bring speed, fly in there, bang bodies, go to the net and I think I’m doing that. I’m having so much fun.”

According to AP News and Hockey Fights’ website, brawls in the NHL have declined steadily since the 2000-2001 season. That campaign featured 684 fights, whereas there were only 219 encounters of the sort during the 2022-2023 season.

Former NHL player and current Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet thinks that there’s still a valuable place in the sport for fighting. He told AP News “It doesn’t happen often, but you still have to have it…there is a time and place for it.”

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Certain hockey fans have loved every minute of Rempe’s impromptu boxing matches, calling for the rookie to get more playing time. Hockey News called for New York to put Rempe on the ice in the starting lineup.

The Toronto Star opined that Rempe’s recklessness is an issue. Columnist Bruce Arthur comments on the current state of sports and recognition of concussions and other head injuries. Rempe’s desire to initiate confrontation makes him dangerous in Arthur’s eyes.

Toronto Maple Leafs forward Ryan Reaves also got into an altercation with Rempe, adding to the list of players the Rangers’ rookie has tangled with. Interestingly, Reaves told Sports Illustrated that Rempe “was going to be a menace in his league.”

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Matt Rempe was born in Calgary, Alberta in 2001, and was selected by the New York Rangers in the sixth round of the 2020 NHL Draft. According to Hockey Reference, the rookie is making $775,000 this season.

Rempe has two older sisters who also played hockey at a high level. They played in the NCAA for Brown University, according to My Sports Northwest.

Deadspin called Rempe’s act a “big, dumb sideshow,” as they believe the 6’7” rookie doesn’t play enough meaningful minutes to impact winning. However, the Rangers have fared well in the Metropolitan Division before and after Rempe’s callup, so it’s possible his presence has yet to fully be determined.

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What do you think of Matt Rempe’s performance in the early going? Let us know in the comments section!