A hilarious video of Matt Rempe coaching young children was posted by the New York Rangers.
Matt Rempe was known for his sharp skills as a goaltender, but what nobody expected was to see him on the sidelines, clipboard in hand, coaching a group of wide-eyed kids who could barely skate in a straight line. The New York Rangers’ social media team had dropped a video that quickly went viral—an absolute comedy goldmine—showing Matt trying his hand at coaching a motley crew of young children during a recent charity event. What followed was pure magic: a blend of chaos, innocence, and unfiltered humor that perfectly captured the spirit of hockey’s future stars, and Matt’s unlikely role as their reluctant but earnest mentor.
The scene opened on the ice rink in the afternoon, bright with fluorescent lights and echoes of little skates scraping awkwardly on the ice. Matt stood at center ice, towering over the children, who ranged in age from about four to eight years old. They looked up at him with wide eyes, some smiling, some clutching their sticks like lifelines, others wearing helmets that seemed comically oversized. The juxtaposition was hilarious: here was a seasoned professional, poised and focused, trying to give serious instructions to a bunch of tiny humans who looked more like they were about to burst into giggles than learn complex hockey drills.
Matt’s first challenge was simply getting the kids to line up. You’d think this was easy, but it turned into a comedy sketch. The kids scattered, some chasing each other around the rink, one attempting to skate backwards while waving at a parent, and another clutching the boards and refusing to move. Matt raised his voice with mock sternness, “Alright, team! Let’s get in a line here!” But instead of the expected compliance, one little boy announced loudly, “I don’t wanna line up! I wanna be a pirate!” and promptly fell on his behind, sending a ripple of laughter through the rink.
Trying to maintain his coach persona, Matt knelt down to eye level and attempted to reason with the little pirate, “Well, Captain, if you want to be a pirate, you have to sail in a straight line first.” The kid blinked, then burst into laughter, and the rest of the group seemed to take this as a cue for a full-blown ice rink romp. For a moment, Matt’s professional veneer cracked, and he laughed too, realizing that coaching kids was going to be less about drills and more about managing pure, unfiltered energy.
Once he wrangled the crew into a semblance of order, Matt moved on to the “serious stuff” — skating drills. He demonstrated how to glide forward smoothly, emphasizing the importance of balance and control. His demonstration was flawless, of course, but when it was the kids’ turn, the rink transformed into a slapstick scene. Kids wobbled, flailed, and often fell. One little girl kept skating in circles while clutching her stick like a security blanket, refusing to let go no matter what. Another boy decided that skating forwards was overrated and made a beeline for the boards instead, nearly crashing into a set of cones.
Throughout it all, Matt’s expressions oscillated between patient coach, exasperated dad, and amused sidekick. His commentary in the video, part coaching, part playful banter, was what really sold the whole clip. “Keep your knees bent!” he urged, watching a kid wobble dangerously. “You’re not a tree, you gotta move!” At one point, a child who had fallen on his back looked up and said, “Matt, I think I broke my crown!” which made Matt crack up so hard he nearly lost his balance.
One of the highlights of the video was a mini-game Matt invented on the fly to keep the kids engaged. He called it “Shark Attack,” where the kids had to skate from one side of the rink to the other without being tagged by Matt, who was the “shark.” The kids took this very seriously, their faces a mix of determination and pure joy. The chaos was palpable—kids zigzagging, tripping, and even one who hid behind the goalie’s net, only to pop out and yell, “You can’t get me, Shark!” Matt’s attempts to tag them ended in a series of comedic near-misses, as he slipped on the ice a few times himself, much to the children’s delight.
What made the video so delightful wasn’t just the physical comedy, but the warmth and genuine connection between Matt and the kids. He was patient when they got frustrated, encouraging when they succeeded, and always ready with a goofy grin or silly joke. At one point, a kid asked him how he got so good at skating, and Matt’s answer was pure gold: “Lots of falls, a little bit of crying, and a whole lot of trying again.” It was a lesson wrapped in humor that resonated far beyond the rink.
The post-game “pep talk” moment was another gem. Matt gathered the kids around and gave an impromptu speech that sounded like something a coach in a blockbuster movie might say, but with the innocence only kids can inspire. “You guys are all winners today, because you didn’t give up,” he said, bending down so everyone could hear. The kids nodded seriously, some with cheeks still flushed from exertion, others already distracted by their parents or snacks on the sidelines.
The New York Rangers’ social media team nailed it with the editing, adding playful sound effects and zoom-ins on the funniest moments, like the kid who tried to skate while holding an oversized stuffed animal, or the moment Matt accidentally kicked a puck into the net and pretended it was a goal against him. The video’s caption read something like, “Coach Rempe’s first day with the future Rangers — and maybe the best coach of all time? 🦈😂 #SharkAttack #RangersFuture,” which perfectly captured the blend of humor and heart.
The comments section exploded with fans sharing their own stories of learning hockey (and failing spectacularly), praising Matt’s patience, and begging for a series of these videos. Some joked that Matt should quit pro hockey and become a full-time kids’ coach. Others just appreciated seeing a different side of a professional athlete — one that was relatable, goofy, and incredibly human.
What stood out most was how this video reminded everyone why youth sports matter beyond just the competition. It’s about joy, discovery, and the kind of unfiltered laughter that only kids can bring. Matt, who normally defends the net with razor focus, had spent a day defending sanity against an adorable tidal wave of tiny, skating hurricanes. He didn’t just coach them; he connected with them on a level that transcended hockey skills.
The video’s success sparked ideas for similar events with other players, but it also sparked a bit of a legend around Matt. Soon, fans were calling him “Coach Shark,” a nod both to his fierce goaltending and the fun “Shark Attack” game. And Matt, ever the good sport, embraced it. He even joked in an interview that coaching kids was harder than stopping pucks, mostly because kids don’t care about save percentages but do care a lot about stickers and snacks.
By the end of the day, Matt’s coaching debut was more than just a funny video—it was a viral sensation that brought smiles to hockey fans, parents, and anyone who’s ever had to wrangle a group of energetic kids. It showed that beneath the pads and professional accolades, athletes are just people who know how to have fun, even when the game gets a little messy.
So, while Matt Rempe’s save percentage remains a serious stat, his “coach percentage” now ranks pretty high in the hearts of the Rangers’ fans, especially the youngest ones who will no doubt remember the day the big goalie turned into the greatest kid-coach the rink ever saw.
