“Leave the kid alone!” Laraque comes to Rempe’s defense

Earlier this week, images of Georges Laraque and Matt Rempe surfaced. The two jumped on the ice together, and Laraque mentored the youngster to perfect his fighting technique.

The idea was to help him avoid serious injury, as Rempe is often challenged.

That said, it’s caused quite a stir in recent days. In New York, one journalist called it a “mistake” on Rempe’s part, and this morning, Ken Campbell signed a piece for The Hockey News in which he cast doubt on Rempe’s desire to become a true strongman.

Campbell points out the dangers to the brain, among other things.

And obviously, the text in question made its way to Laraque… who took the opportunity to respond to the journalist via platform X:

Are you kidding me? The kid only wanted to learn how to protect himself, how is that a statement of wanting to become a strong man? Leave him alone! – Georges Laraque

thats not what that meant! Are you kidding me? The kid just wanted to learn more stuff to avoid getting it, how’s that a statement of wanting to be a super heavyweight, leave him alone!

– Georges Laraque (@GeorgesLaraque) July 13, 2024

Campbell then replied that if he wanted the kid left alone, publishing videos of him learning to fight might not be the right thing to do… to which Laraque retorted that he didn’t publish the videos.

He can’t control who’s out there filming what’s happening on the ice, after all.

i didnt post the video, and i cannot control people at the rink filming us and posting them!!!

– Georges Laraque (@GeorgesLaraque) July 13, 2024

A few months ago, while appearing on the Stanley25 podcast, Laraque stated that he had called Rempe to give him advice on defending himself, not on becoming the NHL’s toughest fighter.

It’s not the first time he’s said that.

Laraque, who reminds us that he does all this without getting anything in return, has trained a ton of players in the same way in recent years. Arber Xhekaj and Michael Pezzetta, among others, have benefited from his teachings in recent years.

But it’s clear that the subject is particularly hot this summer, as the former NHL strongman helps Rempe hone his technique. With a view to learning how to better protect himself, let’s not forget.