Around the NHL: Rempe's Circus Act a Step Backward for Player Safety
From The Silky Mitten State: Matt Rempe's role with the New York Rangers represents a step backward for player safety in the NHL, and that's not on him; it's the responsibility of those around him
Around the NHL: Rempe's Circus Act a Step Backward for Player SafetySix-foot-seven, 21-year-old forward Matt Rempe is the latest athlete to leverage the stage that is being a professional athlete in New York City into stardom, however fleeting and temporary it may be.
Rempe hasn't built his reputation with his stick and scoring; instead, he's become a nationally recognizable name by dropping his gloves and fighting. In 9 NHL games, Rempe has a goal and an assist with 39 penalty minutes. He's averaging 5:44 of ice time a night (compared to an average of 4:20 in PIMs per game).
In other words, Rempe's role isn't to use his hulking frame to serve as a forechecker or battle winner. Instead, his coach (Peter Laviolette, who is in his 22nd season as an NHL head man) does not appear to trust or count on him him for more than bare-knuckle brawling. Perhaps more galling is that these fights don't tend to be spontaneous eruptions of emotion but rather the sort of old fashioned (and outdated) "staged" affairs that the league had finally seemed to move past.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7n80FEQacno[/embed]
The simple fact is—regardless of your feelings on the entertainment value of Rempe's star turn—his present role is a clear step backwards for player safety (and the discourse around it) in the NHL. That's not on Rempe, who I once again remind you is a 21-year-old; it's on the coaching staff (and perhaps even teammates) who have encouraged and enabled this behavior.
Once, NHL coaches, players, and fans could make a legitimate claim that they did not understand the long-term consequences of the enforcer role. Today, we have an extensive history of ex-enforcers, whose lives were torn apart (and in many cases prematurely ended) by head trauma and addiction that spiraled out from their roles as on-ice brawlers. For Red Wings fans, the story of Bob Probert provides a close-to-home and indelible lesson in how that cycle ends.
Whether it's Laviolette, the Rangers, or the league itself, someone needs to intervene on Rempe's behalf and put to rest the idea that pure brawling is a path to an NHL career for the prospect. It might be enough for some short-term fame, but we know far too well by now that is anything but sustainable.
On the most recent episode of The Silky Mitten State, my co-host Connor Earegood and I discussed Rempe's exploits and their underlying problems. For an excerpt from that conversation, check out the clip below:
You can find full episodes of The Silky Mitten State on either Spotify or Apple Podcasts: