Training camp for the Rangers means fighting for jobs and – quite often – just plain fights. Expect a few as we move forward toward exhibition games.
Which brings me to the question: who's the best fighter on the Rangers?
And the answer is:
MATT REMPE. He has to be the best slugger for all the right – by boxing standards – reasons.
1. He's 6-8, 240 pounds which automatically makes him the biggest and heaviest player in Bettman, Inc.
2. That means The Remper owns the longest reach to pound enemy heads and also that Matty's head is so high it's harder to reach.
3. The Skating Giraffe also understands that he has become the titular leader of Blueshirt enforcers; which means where an S.O.S. – as in Sock On Sock – is necessary, he will be ready.
4. Diligently, Rempe spent part of the summer training under ex-NHL heavyweight Georges Larocque. By the time Georges finished the course, Matt had his Master's Degree in Mauling.
5. When you think about it – apart from Rempe – there really isn't any Tom Wilson – Murderer's Row – type guy in the lineup and, please, don't tell me it's Jacob Trouba.
As far as I'm concerned Rempe is a latter-day version of former St. Louis Blues courageous captain Brian Sutter.
"Fighting," said Sutter. "Was something that had to be done. It wasn't so much that I had to prove how tough I was, but that as a team, we had to stand up to that type of opposition. And I always figured I was the guy to do it."
Brian Sutter would just love Mauler Matt Rempe!
(Editor's Note: And if you want to know who the Rangers best two fighters from the Original Six Era were, check my sidebar, alongside this story.)
