Georges Laraque is not a small man.
Still, the longtime NHL veteran looked dwarfed next to Rangers hulking forward Matt Rempe in photos he posted to social media this week to promote a training session with the 6-foot-8 1/2-inch forward.
“If you thought Rempe was a problem in the @NHL this year, wait until you see him this season…” Laraque wrote.
After the Rangers were eliminated in six games in the Eastern Conference finals by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Panthers, Rempe returned to his hometown of Calgary for the first time since becoming a household name in hockey after an eventful 28-game rookie season.
The 22-year-old declared he has “big plans” heading into the offseason, saying he wants to work on every part of his game to become a player who can play eight to 12 minutes a day.
He said he wants to be an option both at centre and on the wing and also hone his defensive skills.
All these responsibilities must be earned.
“I want to work on my fighting,” Rempe said on the Rangers’ disbanding day last month. “I want to be the guy. I really enjoy that side of the game and I want to keep working on it. And get stronger, get more athletic, get more mobile, everything. I’ve got a lot of work to do and I always have. As a sixth-round pick, I think I’ve always exceeded expectations.”
“I’m just going to work hard. I’ve got a long way to go, but I’m excited.”
Teaming up with Laraque, who played 13 years in the NHL and has 1,126 penalty minutes under his belt, will undoubtedly benefit the combative side of Rempe’s game.
The two have been working together at the Silent Ice Centre in Edmonton this week.
Laraque has 53 goals and 100 assists in 695 games with the Oilers, Penguins, Canadiens and Coyotes and is widely considered to be one of the NHL’s most successful enforcers.
In January 2010, Montreal bought out the remainder of Laraque’s contract, ending his NHL career.
The 47-year-old now works as a public speaker and hosts a radio show on Montreal’s BPM Sports 91.9.
He is also a member of the NHL and NHL Players Association’s Player Inclusion Coalition, a group of current and former NHL players and female professional hockey players working to “advance equality and inclusion in the sport of hockey on and off the ice.”
Jets prospect Tyrell Bauer also participated in the workout with Lalake and Rempe.
The Rangers were impressed with Rempe’s drive to become a better hockey player and gave him an aggressive, comprehensive offseason program to match.
Rempe’s adjustment to the NHL has also included learning when to choose where to fight and how to control his body and speed.
Rempe will undoubtedly continue to be a target of criticism after five fights, three ejections and a four-game suspension during an 11-game regular season.
It’s clear that Rempe has taken the initiative to hone this part of his game while also improving the skills that endear him to Rangers fans, Madison Square Garden and New York City.
A video was circulating of Rempe instructing members of an Alberta boxing club on how to fight on the ice.
He plans to show off everything he’s been working on by September.
“A little kid in Calgary [AHL] “Playing in Hartford and all of a sudden it’s the seventh game and the crowd is screaming my name,” Rempe said in June. “It’s unbelievable. [the fans] I want everyone to know that I have accomplished so much and am not satisfied with any aspect of my game. I know how much progress I still have to make and I know I can get there. I will continue to put in the work every day and am excited to show some great progress next year.”
