Before 鈥淩empemania鈥� 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鈥檚 Rangers, has been subject to extensive coverage in the United States鈥� 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鈥檚 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鈥�7鈥�, 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鈥� Matt Martin. Six days later, in a showdown against the Philidelphia Flyers, the OHA alumni again didn鈥檛 hesitate to drop his gloves and record another five-minute penalty.
But this time, he also added a goal 鈥� a game-winning marker in the final frame 鈥� 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鈥檚 old Penticton coaches have watched the frenzy unfold with excitement.
鈥淵ou couldn鈥檛 have scripted it any crazier than that, at the outdoor game and then what鈥檚 happened since,鈥� 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. 鈥淚f you want to know if any of us saw this coming, the answer would be 鈥榥o鈥�.鈥�
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鈥檚 rise as 鈥淩empemania.鈥�
His popularity 鈥� or lack thereof in nearby northeast cities not named New York 鈥� only increased after he took centre stage in an early April line brawl against the New Jersey Devils and established himself as the NHL鈥檚 marquee 鈥渢ough guy.鈥�
鈥淚t鈥檚 the nature of that role,鈥� Ward said. 鈥淗e鈥檚 going to be a guy that everyone鈥檚 going to love when he鈥檚 on your team, and someone you鈥檙e not going to like when he isn鈥檛.鈥�
Rempe recorded 71 penalty minutes in 17 regular season games before suiting up in 11 high-energy playoff contests with the Rangers.
鈥淚 don鈥檛 wanna let [the fans] down,鈥� 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. 鈥淚 love them so much. No matter what. I want to go out there, make them proud and do something every shift.鈥�
Ward says Rempe was quiet, respectful 鈥渁nd had a shy personality鈥� when he was in Penticton from 2016 to 2018.
鈥淲hen Matt came here, like a lot of 14-year-olds, he was just coming into his own as a hockey player,鈥� Ward recalled.
鈥淗e already had good size, and there was some obvious skill set there鈥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.鈥�
His former coach added: 鈥淗e was also a great kid and great teammate to everyone.鈥�
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.
鈥淭he appreciation that I know Matt and his whole family have for the great people at Pen-Hi made for a great experience,鈥� Ward said. 鈥淭he school has always been tremendous to us and they don鈥檛 get enough credit for the work they do with our kids.鈥�
Rempe scored on April 21, in Game 1 of the first round against the Washington Capitals, to mark the Rangers鈥� opening goal of what鈥檚 become an extended and memorable postseason run.
鈥淭hat鈥檚 the one thing I know he鈥檚 doing, enjoying every moment and not taking it for granted,鈥� said Ward, who played for New York during the
Rempe鈥檚 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.
