"He don't want that smoke with Mathieu Olivier again": Fans react as ex-enforcer dares rivals to touch Matt Rempe after his brutal off-season training

Former NHL enforcer Georges Laraque dared rivals to challenge Matt Rempe following his intense off-season training. Laraque, known for his fearsome reputation on the ice, shared his confidence in Rempe's abilities on X, prompting reactions from fans.

Rempe had a wild rookie season with the New York Rangers, earning a reputation as an enforcer. In just 11 regular-season games, Rempe was involved in five fights, faced three ejections and served a four-game suspension. His aggressive playstyle made him a frequent target for penalties and whistles.

BarDown on Twitter shared Laraque's statement about Rempe with the caption:

"Who will be the biggest test for Matt Rempe this year?"

Laraque's words were:

"Now that he has all my technique, all my tricks, at 6-8, who is going to touch him?"

Fans quickly took to X to share their thoughts on the statement on Rempe.

"He don't want that smoke with Mathieu Olivier again," one fan commented, referencing a previous encounter between Rempe and Olivier.

"His biggest test will be stopping at full speed. Crossovers. And skating backwards. Also avoiding concussion protocol," another fan said.

"He is a really tough kid. There are others around the league who are just more physically mature than him; he hasn’t reached his 'man strength' yet. Rempe should really focus on his skating and hitting guys so he can get into the lineup regularly," a fan elaborated in detail.

Here are more reactions from fans on X:

"The biggest test for Matt Rempe will be Controlling himself. Not a lot of points from the penalty box!" a fan astutely observed.

"And that will bring 10 Stanley Cups to New York assuming he even steps his paw on the ice at all," another fan said, rather sarcastically.

"he dont want that smoke with mathieu olivier again," a fan said.

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Georges Laraque's statement on Matt Rempe after giving him training

Georges Laraque believes Matt Rempe will be even more formidable this season after training with him.

Rempe, a 6-foot-8 forward for the New York Rangers, had a raucous rookie season with numerous fights, but lacked technique. Laraque, impressed with Rempe's potential, spent several days teaching him fighting skills.

“Wait til you see,” Laraque said, as per New York Post, “I gave him so much information, so much technique, we practiced so much. I can’t wait for you to see it.”

Columbus Blue Jackets' Mathieu Olivier fought with Rempe last season and it was not in Rempe's favor. So, Laraque reached out to him.

“After 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,” Laraque said.

Rempe's new skills are expected to make him a more effective and intimidating player on the ice.