The old folk hero has been watching the young, instant folk hero and approves. From one generation’s People’s Champion to this one decades later.
Nick Fotiu has an appreciation for what Matt Rempe has brought to the Rangers since the 21-year-old joined the squad a little less than two weeks ago for the outdoor game. Of course he does, for if you can ignore the difference in size, the 6-foot-2 Fotiu was pretty much in the 6-foot-8 ½ Rempe’s skates a few decades ago.
“I’m so glad the Rangers have a physical player now who will give the other guys a lot more room,” No. 22 told The Post by phone on Tuesday. “It’s so important for them to have that kind of guy so that no one would ever think that they could be pushed around. It’s such an important element on a team.”
Fotiu, the native of Staten Island, provided that element for the Blueshirts in the ’70s and ’80s bookending tours with the Whalers and Flames. He was credited with 44 fights by HockeyFights.com over his 12-year career.
Rempe might catch him by the end of the season after three fights in his first five games, all arranged during pregame warm-ups. A fourth bout ended so quickly after one punch it was called roughing. Fotiu admires the willingness, but has a few words of advice to the winger.
“I do think he should relax a little bit more and pick his spots, but that’s not as easy as it sounds,” Fotiu said. “I mean, if somebody challenges and you’re the tough guy for the New York Rangers, you’ve got to go, there are no two ways about it.
“You know me, when I first started playing [in 1976-77] I tried to give the Rangers respect that they didn’t have. I’m not saying that’s exactly the same now, but he’s doing something for them so that when the playoffs start, nobody is going to come in and think they can take physical advantage of the team.”
Rempe has become not only the talk of the town, but the talk of the league. Twice the normal media complement crowded into the Blueshirts’ practice rink Tuesday to interview the winger. He is a celebrity. He is having the time of his life. Why not?
“I’m trying to stay away from all media. I’ve got to focus on what got me here and do that,” Rempe said. “I love reading books, I’m a big fantasy book guy. I go home, read my books, talk to my family, play my guitar.
“It’s cool, people are messaging you, it’s awesome, I appreciate all the support. I was at a Cheesesteak Factory [on Monday] and I was getting some photos with people, rocking the block, so that was pretty cool.
“I’m just trying to keep a level head — just try and stick on earth.”
There is unsolicited advice flowing from everywhere. The Nanny State is doing a fair amount of hand-wringing, espousing fear for the young man if he continues on this path.
The 21-year-old, however, has no concerns. If he takes on Columbus’ Mathieu Olivier in a rematch at the Garden on Wednesday when the Blue Jackets come to town after prevailing in their match in Columbus on Sunday that ended the Rangers’ 10-game winning streak, if it is four fighting majors in his first six NHL games, so be it.
“[I’m] just going out there and playing hard, [fighting] comes with the territory,” he said. “It is what it is. If the challenge is there, I have no issue with that at all, just trying to get better.
“And when you fight you create space for yourself as well as creating more space for my teammates.”.
Rempe seemed stunned at the crowd waiting for him at his locker when he came off the ice. His eyes widened while forming the thought, “For me?” Yes, for him.
Sporting a shiner under his left eye, courtesy of Olivier, Rempe took it as a badge of honor. “Oh, it’s nothing,” he said. “It’s awesome, it goes along with it. You get bumps and bruises along the way. it’s nothing, it is good.” He said he enjoys fighting. “I do, I want to get better at it. I want to learn. I enjoy it.”
Fotiu, indeed, does have some technical advice for Rempe after having watched his fight on Saturday in Philadelphia against noted veteran enforcer Nicolas Deslauriers that was made by appointment pregame.
“First thing, I don’t know why he tried to grab the guy with both hands,” said the 71-year-old Staten Island native. “If it was me, I’d just stand there and as soon he went to grab me, I’d nail him. You don’t want to get nailed like that. I don’t know why he grabs the middle of his shirt instead of his arm.
“If you watch me against [Flyers defenseman] Behn Wilson, I grab his arm and he couldn’t hit me. I’d love to help him. Watching that fight he had in Philly, there was no need for him to take a punch in the face. Grabbing the middle of the jersey isn’t the right thing to do. You’ve got to grab the throwing arm, the elbow and then you’ve got him, he can’t do anything.
“It’s an art,” said Fotiu, who also could play well enough that he was assigned to match up against Mike Bossy on different occasions. “When I played, I was ready to fight every game but that was a time where bullies lined up for every team and that’s not the case now.
“But Matt still has to prepare himself every game for the other team’s tough guy. He’s made a name right away. When they play Washington, I don’t think [Tom] Wilson will do s–t against this kid. He’s young, he’s hungry and he’s going to say nobody is going to push the Rangers around while I’m here.”
Those are words that strike a chord from generation to generation.