Before 乌鸦传媒淩empemania乌鸦传媒� was running wild in New York City, it made a brief stop in Penticton.
Matt Rempe, the 21-year-old rookie forward for the NHL乌鸦传媒檚 Rangers, has been subject to extensive coverage in the United States乌鸦传媒� largest media market for the last three months.
His physical play and ability to get thousands of people to chant his name in the world乌鸦传媒檚 most famous arena has a lot to do with it.
Not too long ago, a 14-year-old Rempe would attend classes at Penticton Secondary School before lacing up his skates to play for the Okanagan Hockey Academy (OHA), hoping to beat the odds and one day get his shot in the bigs.
Originally from Calgary, Alta., Rempe was drafted by the Rangers in the sixth round of the 2020 NHL Draft.
After two seasons with the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL, and another year and a half with the Hartford Wolfpack in the AHL, the 6乌鸦传媒�7乌鸦传媒�, 241 pound-forward made his NHL debut on Feb. 18, 2024.
Ninety seconds after the opening puck drop, in front of almost 80,000 people outdoors at MetLife Stadium, Rempe dropped his gloves and fought the New York Islanders乌鸦传媒� Matt Martin. Six days later, in a showdown against the Philidelphia Flyers, the OHA alumni again didn乌鸦传媒檛 hesitate to drop his gloves and record another five-minute penalty.
But this time, he also added a goal 乌鸦传媒� a game-winning marker in the final frame 乌鸦传媒� en route to being named first star.
The thousands of people who have packed Madison Square Garden (MSG) in the three months since have regularly been heard chanting his name.
Rempe乌鸦传媒檚 old Penticton coaches have watched the frenzy unfold with excitement.
乌鸦传媒淵ou couldn乌鸦传媒檛 have scripted it any crazier than that, at the outdoor game and then what乌鸦传媒檚 happened since,乌鸦传媒� said longtime OHA vice-president Dixon Ward, who played 10 seasons in the NHL, including for the Vancouver Canucks, Buffalo Sabres and Rangers, from 1992 to 2003. 乌鸦传媒淚f you want to know if any of us saw this coming, the answer would be 乌鸦传媒榥o乌鸦传媒�.乌鸦传媒�
After becoming the first player in NHL history to make his debut in an outdoor game, New York sports fans began referring to the imposing forward乌鸦传媒檚 rise as 乌鸦传媒淩empemania.乌鸦传媒�
His popularity 乌鸦传媒� or lack thereof in nearby northeast cities not named New York 乌鸦传媒� only increased after he took centre stage in an early April line brawl against the New Jersey Devils and established himself as the NHL乌鸦传媒檚 marquee 乌鸦传媒渢ough guy.乌鸦传媒�
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 the nature of that role,乌鸦传媒� Ward said. 乌鸦传媒淗e乌鸦传媒檚 going to be a guy that everyone乌鸦传媒檚 going to love when he乌鸦传媒檚 on your team, and someone you乌鸦传媒檙e not going to like when he isn乌鸦传媒檛.乌鸦传媒�
Rempe recorded 71 penalty minutes in 17 regular season games before suiting up in 11 high-energy playoff contests with the Rangers.
乌鸦传媒淚 don乌鸦传媒檛 wanna let [the fans] down,乌鸦传媒� the forward told reporters on May 25, after a loud, Rempe-loving MSG crowd watched the Rangers top the Florida Panthers in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals. 乌鸦传媒淚 love them so much. No matter what. I want to go out there, make them proud and do something every shift.乌鸦传媒�
Ward says Rempe was quiet, respectful 乌鸦传媒渁nd had a shy personality乌鸦传媒� when he was in Penticton from 2016 to 2018.
乌鸦传媒淲hen Matt came here, like a lot of 14-year-olds, he was just coming into his own as a hockey player,乌鸦传媒� Ward recalled.
乌鸦传媒淗e already had good size, and there was some obvious skill set there乌鸦传媒ut by no means was he a physical force. While he was with us, we were working more on his physical skillset and game understanding than anything else.乌鸦传媒�
His former coach added: 乌鸦传媒淗e was also a great kid and great teammate to everyone.乌鸦传媒�
The OHA vice president praised Penticton Secondary for hosting not only Rempe but all the travelling athletes who call the South Okanagan their temporary home while playing at the academy.
乌鸦传媒淭he appreciation that I know Matt and his whole family have for the great people at Pen-Hi made for a great experience,乌鸦传媒� Ward said. 乌鸦传媒淭he school has always been tremendous to us and they don乌鸦传媒檛 get enough credit for the work they do with our kids.乌鸦传媒�
Rempe scored on April 21, in Game 1 of the first round against the Washington Capitals, to mark the Rangers乌鸦传媒� opening goal of what乌鸦传媒檚 become an extended and memorable postseason run.
乌鸦传媒淭hat乌鸦传媒檚 the one thing I know he乌鸦传媒檚 doing, enjoying every moment and not taking it for granted,乌鸦传媒� said Ward, who played for New York during the
Rempe乌鸦传媒檚 Rangers are currently in the Eastern Conference Finals against Florida and sit two wins away from reaching the Stanley Cup Finals, as of May 31.
