Matt Rempe loves to fight, but he is looking to fight with more of a purpose this upcoming season.
While some may believe that Matt Rempe fought too many times last season, the young enforcer doesn't seem to believe that sentiment.
Upon entering the NHL for the New York Rangers in February, Rempe wasted no time getting into three fights in his first five games.
Rempe feels that at his young age he should be taking advantage of fighting some of the NHL’s best.
"No, not at all. You've got to think that I'm 21 years old in the NHL and I have legends like [Matt] Martin and [Nicolas] Deslauriers, all those guys who want to fight. I'm in no position to say 'no' there. I think that they're giving me an opportunity, and I 100 percent want to do that," Rempe said via Greg Wyshynski of ESPN.
The 21-year-old is a hot commodity and a lot of people want to fight him, so it’s hard for Rempe to reject.
Fighting is an aspect of the game that Rempe just loves and thrives in and he doesn't plan on stopping it anytime soon.
"But I really enjoy it. That's the thing as well," Rempe said. "I don't know. I want to be a hockey player but it's part of the game. It's a nice tool to have."
Rempe doesn't just want to fight, but he wants to refine his fighting skills. That’s why he trained with famous enforcer Georges Laraque this summer.
In what may be viewed as a publicity stunt, was actually a valuable lesson for Rempe heading into this season where he now has the tools to be an even better fighter.
"He showed me lots of things, little tricks, little things. Helped me with my reach more. Protect myself better. Just got better at fighting," Rempe said. "He's a guy with a lot of experience and it was really helpful and he was awesome. So I really appreciated him taking the time for that."
This upcoming season, Rempe’s goal is to become a big-time enforcer and fight to protect his teammates.
"When to fight on my own terms. Not so much the staged fighting, but more natural [fighting] if it happens. Protecting teammates, standing up for teammates, standing up for myself. Always making sure it benefits the team. That you're doing it at the most advantageous time possible for you, so you're maximizing the value of that fight for the team," Rempe said.
All of this talk from Rempe should get Rangers fans excited for what is to come.
