© Len Redkoles/NHLI

STAMFORD, Conn. — Matt Rempe had a line of fans waiting for him, cheering when he arrived at the Shoulder Check Showcase charity event last month, sharpies ready for autographs, phones out for pictures.

It was yet another display of how much life has changed for the 6-foot-7 New York Rangers forward.

A year ago, Rempe was easy to spot because of his size but hard to recognize because he was a sixth-round pick (No. 165) in the 2020 NHL Draft playing for Hartford in the American Hockey League. 

Today, not only does Rempe still stand out in a crowd because of his size, he has a following among Rangers fans that at least rivals stars like Chris Kreider and Jonathan Quick, who were at the same event July 25 but did not create the same buzz upon their arrival.

He might even be more popular than them and others at this point.

“I try to take it in, but it’s pretty special,” Rempe said.

Rempe’s popularity, though, is as much a blessing as it is his burden, one he has carries into every offseason training workout, every summer skate.

The notoriety he has among the “Original Six” fan base is fitting for a young, burgeoning, high-scoring, elite forward. 

But that’s not Rempe. 

He is 22 years old. He has played 28 NHL games (17 in the regular season, 11 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs). He has skated exactly 162 minutes and 58 seconds. He’s scored two goals, three fewer than his total number of fights. He has 81 penalty minutes to his credit.

He’s not even a lock to make the NHL roster out of training camp. And he knows it.

“I’m getting all this attention and I feel like I have to earn it,” Rempe said. “I’ve gotten on the scene, I’ve done well, but there’s so much room for growth. I don’t want to let anyone down. I’m terrified of that. That pushes me every single day to try to do the max that I can and ask how much better did I get today?”

The earn-it attitude is why Rempe is so respected by his teammates and coaches.

“His evaluation is probably honest and fair that he’s got to continue to work at all aspects of his game, as a lot of young players do,” Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said. “He was a guy that came up and he made so much noise. You say, what is it that he has to do [to make the opening night roster]? Well, there’s a lot of things.”

Rempe is working on all of them, taking the advice he got from the coaching staff in his exit meeting after the season and incorporating it all into his offseason training.

He started by spending five weeks at home in Calgary, during which he took a trip to Edmonton with friend and Winnipeg Jets defenseman prospect Tyrel Bauer to work with retired NHL forward Georges Laraque, who taught them fighting techniques.

“In three days, we learned a lot of stuff and it was awesome,” Rempe said. “It was an honor to work with a guy like that. The guy is probably one of the toughest guys there ever was and he really helped me, just showed me a lot of great stuff. It was sweet.”

Rempe returned to the New York area in late July and moved in with Quick and his family in Connecticut, where he began training and skating with Kreider.

“He told me he’s looking to earn it,” Quick said. “Every conversation we’ve had about next season he’s saying very similar things. He’s looking forward to the rest of the summer, what he can do to improve his game and continue to get better.”

Rempe said in Calgary he worked on his skating, particularly his balance to be more stable on his skates so he doesn’t get knocked off pucks. He is working on his skills with Kreider, such as handling the puck and protecting it in tight situations.

He said he needs to be better in those areas to prove he can be an effective all-around NHL player, not just a big guy who plays five minutes, forechecks and fights.

“Incredibly driven, incredibly focused and wants to get better every single day,” is how Kreider described Rempe. “He’s super disciplined and has incredible willpower, and he’s a sponge. He’s just going to keep on getting better, which is scary for every other team.” 

Rempe said Kreider and Jets captain Adam Lowry are examples of the type of player he wants to become.

“I’m just trying to get better,” Rempe said. “I feel like I can be a very effective bottom-six player who is fast, mean, physical, skates well, protects pucks, goes to the net, is good around the net, can play center or wing. I want to be a good penalty killer. I feel like I can be a guy one day on a shutdown line that can be very hard to play against and also create some offense around the net, bring pucks to the net. I’ve got a long way to go but that’s all I’m working toward.”

In the meantime, his popularity will not wane.

Rempe will be at Fanatics Fest NYC at the Jacob Javits Center in Manhattan on Sunday participating in a Rangers-based panel discussion with legends Henrik Lundqvist and Mike Richter and defenseman K'Andre Miller.

Lundqvist is a Hockey Hall of Famer. Richter is a Stanley Cup champion. Miller is an established top-four NHL defenseman. Rempe is a player trying to make the roster, but Rangers fans in attendance Sunday won’t have to Google his name to find out who he is.

“All the people are so good to me, they’re all cheering, so it’ll be cool to meet some more fans,” Rempe said. “I’ve got to earn it. I’ve got to earn everything.”