Former NHL legend releases a shocking statement regarding Matt Rempe
During a recent phone call interview with the New York Post, former NHL enforcer George Laraque explained how he took Rangers Matt Rempe under his wing and transformed him into a better fighter.
Rempe broke into the NHL in the second half of this past season and began to show the world that he brings back fighting as part of the NHL again. In his first few weeks in the league, he took on several prominent heavyweight players and after only 17 games he racked up 71 penalty minutes in fighting.
He caught the eye of Laraque but the rock became very concerned about Rempe's fighting as he states that he had no technique. Larocque reached out to Rempe and asked him that he would be willing to train him on how to fight after the season was over.
«I was like, �Oh my God, he's getting hit way too much because he has no technique,' » Laraque recalled to The Post in a recent phone call. «And then after a few fights, his face, he had black eyes and everything. After [the] Olivier [fight], when it kind of went a bit bad, I was like, �OK, I have to reach out to him.' Because he was so good for the league.»
«So what I told him, I said, �Listen, when the season is over, if you want, we can meet up and we'll do this on the ice,'» said Laraque, who is now a public speaker and member of the NHL's and NHL Players Association's Inclusion Coalition. «It's way better on the ice than by text. So a couple weeks ago, he texted me and he said, �Can I take you up on your offer?'
During their training sessions which would last 90 minutes, Laraque showed everything he knows about NHL fighting including how to remove the helmet, how to grab the jersey, the style of punch is used and ways to get the upper hand as Rempe began to build his new technique.
Wait til you see,» the 13-year NHL veteran said, his smile almost audible through the phone. «I gave him so much information, so much technique, we practiced so much. I can't wait for you to see it. I can't wait. You know, the other thing too is, they know. The whole league knows what he just did. They know he's not going to be the same.
Laraque is very confident in what Rempe will bring to the NHL and as he continues to practice and get better with his fights, it's likely he will win more than he loses as he is a very large hockey player.
Source: New York Post
Rangers' Matt Rempe a �different fighter' after Georges Laraque fight camp
POLL |
Will Matt Rempe be a better fighter after his training with George Laraque? |
Yes | 113 | 83.7 % |
No | 22 | 16.3 % |
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