Rangers’ Matt Rempe Suspended Four Games
New York Rangers forward Matt Rempe received a four-game suspension 10 games into his NHL career.
Rempe, 21, was assessed a major penalty and game misconduct for elbowing New Jersey Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler and causing an injury in Monday’s matchup with under 40 seconds to go in the second period.
As Siegenthaler dumped the puck as Rempe approached for a hit, he attempted to stop. Rempe then raises his elbow up and makes contact with the defenseman’s head. The NHL Department of Player Safety noted that this is not accidental contact or a case where an opponent’s change of movement turns an illegal check into a legal one.
“Rempe is clearly committed to throwing a check on this play, and having ended up at an angle of approach that will take him across the front of Siegenthaler’s body and potentially miss Siegenthaler entirely, Rempe chooses to flare his elbow both up and away from his body in dangerous fashion, driving it directly into the head of Siegenthaler with substantial force,” said the video explanation for Rempe’s suspension.
Rempe had a hearing earlier on Tuesday since the Rangers play against the Carolina Hurricanes in the evening, a second game of a back-to-back for New York. Based on his average annual salary, Rempe will forfeit $17,083.32 for the games he’ll miss, which goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.
The 6-foot-7, 241-pound forward has drawn a ton of attention since his first NHL game, which came on Feb. 18 at the NHL Stadium Series at MetLife Stadium. He fought New York Islanders forward Matt Martin in his first shift and celebrated the fisticuffs. He then fought in his fourth game against Nicolas Deslauriers of the Philadelphia Flyers, his fifth game against Mathieu Olivier of the Columbus Blue Jackets and his seventh game against Ryan Reaves of the Toronto Maple Leafs.
He’s also had been ejected twice, both against the Devils on separate occasions. The first happened on Feb. 22 when Rempe was assessed a match penalty for hitting forward Nathan Bastian. He did not receive a hearing or supplemental discipline for that hit.
Here’s Jacob Stoller’s reaction to the suspension: