Matt Rempe played his first-ever NHL game on Feb. 18, and he became an immediate fan favorite.
Rempe dropped the gloves on his first shift in an outdoor game, which was just the beginning.
Rempe fought some of the toughest guys in the league during his first regular season and made himself the talk of the NHL due to his willingness to drop the gloves, his big hits, his humbleness, and how obvious it was how much he enjoys playing with the big boys.
But Rempe’s spot in the Rangers’ roster hasn’t been obvious, and he’s been a healthy scratch for the majority of the playoffs.
But with third-line forward Jimmy Vesey ruled out, listed ’week-to-week,’ Rempe was back in the lineup for Game 3 against the Florida Panthers on Sunday.
Rempe played just 4:02 and only had three shifts in the final two periods and none in overtime. But Rempe still made headlines because of what happened after the game.
The Rangers won the game in overtime, and as players jumped onto the ice to celebrate in a huddle, a couple of Panthers players picked off Matt Rempe as he was coming off the bench.
Nothing really happened, as Rempe kept his cool despite being whacked on the leg by a Panthers player’s stick.
With Blake Wheeler returning after injury, many expected Rempe to be out of the lineup for Game 4, but he started for back-to-back games. He played for 6:17 and had eleven shifts as the Rangers lost 3-2 in OT.
Although Rempe didn’t have much playing time, he still had time to produce a viral moment.
Rempe got into some kind of argument with Panthers’ Steven Lorentz, and as officials separated the two of them, Rempe hilariously hit him with the finger wag.
He also did it having the biggest smile on his face, and on social media, everyone said the same thing: That Rempe is truly living his best life out there.
”Is anyone having more fun out there than Rempe?” the New York Post Sports said on X.
”Matt Rempe really out here having the most fun per 60,” NHL content producer Jonny Lazarus said.