Nothing like making your NHL debut in a cross-town Stadium Series game, eh?
Rookie forward Matt Rempe made his NHL debut today at MetLife Stadium as the New York Rangers take on the New York Islanders in the latest edition of the NHL Stadium Series.
Rempe is the first player ever to make their NHL debut during a Stadium Series game, and the game also happens to fall on the 6-year anniversary of the death of Rempe’s father.
An emotional moment no doubt, Rempe got the ol’ rookie lap treatment, and I have to say, not a bad place to do it.
And that wasn’t memorable enough, Rempe might’ve made history another way… by being the first player to record penalty minutes before any time on the ice. ESPN said he was the 6th player to fight in their NHL debut, but before a shift even started? Can someone look that one up?
Less than two minutes into the game, before the puck even dropped on his first NHL shift, Rempe was dropping the gloves and trading haymakers with Islanders tough man, Matt Martin.
And the 6’7″, 21 year old held his own in front of 70,000 strong.
Gotta love hockey… welcome to the league, kid.
