Matt Rempe has already proven to hold his ground in fights, but these staged tilts come at a cost, says Ken Campbell.
Matt RempeGenerally speaking, hockey loves guys like Matt Rempe of the New York Rangers.
Perhaps that's why the 21-year-old has been the talk of hockey over the past couple of days. He’s quickly becoming a folk hero for his willingness to scrap with some of the most veteran heavyweights in the NHL.
But there’s a price tag attached to all of this, particularly when you look at the shots Rempe took in his fight Sunday afternoon against Mathieu Olivier of the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Like the other two fights – in his NHL debut in an outdoor game against Matt Martin of the New York Islanders and another against Nic Deslauriers of the Philadelphia Flyers – this one was basically staged, planned out in a conversation between the two before the game even began.
There was nothing organic about them. It’s probably about time one of the adults in the room – and that includes Rempe’s future opponents – take the time during the pre-game warmup to tell him he simply can’t continue to put himself in these situations and expect bad things not to happen. Because they could. That’s what could happen when you take bare-knuckle punches in the head.
Rempe has created his space and made his name. Now, it’s time for him to stick to hockey. He's got a goal and an assist while averaging just four minutes per game. The Rangers’ next two games are against the Blue Jackets and the Toronto Maple Leafs. Nobody needs a rematch between Olivier and Rempe and, even though the temptation to go up against Ryan Reaves will be huge, perhaps Olivier and Reaves can choose to protect one of their own here and give this kid a break.
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