At the start of the third period on Saturday night in Toronto, Leafs’ enforcer Ryan Reaves faced off against New York Rangers rookie Matt Rempe at center ice. Rempe, a 6-foot-7, 240-pound center, has recorded one goal and one assist in his first seven NHL games, along with 37 penalty minutes—five more than his actual playing time. He embodies the role of an “enforcer,” a position that has largely been phased out in recent years. Though physical players still exist, Rempe’s frequent fighting is a throwback to a bygone era.
Rempe’s focus on fighting is rare today for several reasons. Off-ice deaths of enforcers like Derek Boogaard, Wade Belak, and Rick Rypien in 2011 sparked change. Studies have linked fighting to CTE, though NHL commissioner Gary Bettman disputes this. Additionally, hockey analytics now prioritize data-based evaluations, where enforcers often don’t fit due to their limited point production and skating abilities.
Public sentiment has also shifted, with growing opposition to fighting in hockey. Surveys show Canadian fans are divided on banning fighting, viewing it as a symbol of deeper issues, including the sport’s culture of silence on matters like sexual assault. Fights have decreased significantly, with 645 in the 2010-11 season projected to drop to 282 this year, resulting in a faster and more entertaining game.
Yet, fighting remains a part of hockey’s “code.” On TNT, former NHL enforcer Paul Bissonnette discussed Rempe’s hit on Ilya Lyubushkin, which led to the fight with Reaves. “Some might see it as a charge, but from an old-school perspective, I’m OK with the hit and that he had to answer to the other team’s tough guy,” Bissonnette said.
This debate between traditional and modern hockey is mostly internal, but the NHL could become a flashpoint in broader cultural conflicts. Last year, a LinkedIn post for a Pathway to Hockey Summit career fair, specifying marginalized group participants, was criticized by Florida’s Republican governor, Ron DeSantis, as discriminatory.
Rempe’s return to fighting might reignite hockey’s internal debate about toughness. After his first game and fight, former NHL player Sean Avery praised Rempe on his podcast, mocking critics. The right-wing site The Daily Caller echoed Avery’s sentiments, deriding detractors as “soft.”
The old-school view is that enforcers make hockey safer by acting as a release valve. Rempe’s fights could test this theory, potentially intensifying the debate or proving that hockey retains its toughness despite changes.
