Matt Rempe and Gabe Perreault will be among the younger players on the ice when the New York Rangers begin training camp in September. But in July, they've been the two old guys on the ice showing kids from age 6-12 how it's done at the Rangers Summer Camp. Last week's session was held at the team's training facility in Tarrytown, New York; the second week concludes Friday at Montclair State College in New Jersey .
Also on hand is Rangers alumnus Brian Mullen, a forward who grew up a mile or so from Madison Square Garden and averaged 25 goals during his four seasons on Broadway (1987-88 through 1990-91). He represented the Rangers at the NHL All-Star Game in 1989 and finished his NHL career with 622 points (260 goals, 362 assists) in 832 games.
It was hard to say which group was having more fun – the kids or the counselors.
"There are 60 kids at camp, 30 in the younger group and 30 in the older group" Mullen said. "I played a game with the younger guys and had some fun with them."
To Mullen, being at camp with the kids was more than just a chance to maintain some ties with his old team.
"I've been involved with this program since the beginning," he said. "It's important for me to give back because I'm a New York City kid."
Perreault is 20 and was the Rangers' first-round pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. He turned pro in April after two seasons at Boston College. He's not a lot older than many of the campers, but the Rangers are hoping he'll show at training camp that he's ready for the NHL. If not, he'll start the season with AHL Hartford; however, the Blueshirts are hoping he'll be a contributor before the season gets too far along.
But for now, Perreault looked like he was having as much fun as the kids he was instructing.
"Me and Remps were just out here (trying) to have some fun and enjoy it with these guys," the son of former NHL center Yanic Perreault said. "It's really cool for us to be out here and have them ask us questions."
At 6-foot-8, Rempe towered over even the tallest camper, at one point joking with one of the kids that "I'm so tall. You're so small." The campers got a big dose of the charismatic personality and the sense of humor that has turned him into a favorite among the Blueshirt Faithful at Madison Square Garden.
Like Perreault, Rempe looked like he was having a blast.
"We were buzzing around with a bunch of kids, having a lot of fun," he said. "I was their age once, and I think it looked pretty cool whenever I saw an old player out there."
Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images
The seriousness of trying to earn a regular spot with the Rangers at training camp will come soon enough for Perreault and Rempe. They are different types of players – Perreault figures to make his living as a top-six forward who provides offense, while Rempe, who signed a two-year contract with an average annual value of $975,000 earlier this summer, has shown he can play with the kind of energy and physicality a fourth-liner is counted on to provide.
But for a couple of weeks in the summer, they were just kids again.
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