The New York Rangers recalled enforcer Matt Rempe from the Hartford Wolf Pack to the main roster to play in Texas against the Dallas Stars on Friday. Now, he finds himself suspended for eight games.
Rempe elbowed and boarded Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen during New York’s 3-1 win. He was given a game misconduct for the play.
The win was Rempe’s first game with the Rangers since Nov. 25. He has three goals, two assists and 22 penalty minutes in 18 games with Hartford. The 6'9" forward crunched Heiskanen into the boards in the third period. Heiskanen hit the ice hard and went to the Stars locker room, but the 25-year-old missed just over six minutes of play before returning to the ice.
The eight game suspension is the longest suspension for on-ice conduct since Tom Wilson’s 20-game suspension in October 2018. Rempe has been ejected four times in his 22 game NHL career.
Matt Rempe has been suspended 8 games for boarding and elbowing pic.twitter.com/gVnyqYiFks
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) December 22, 2024
A repeat offender in the eyes of the NHL — a player who has been disciplined within the last 18 months — Rempe’s punishment certainly reflects the league’s initiative to send a message.
His last suspension was a four-game suspension for an elbow to the head of Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler last season on March 11. It’s been 23 games, including postseason contests, since that suspension — making it only 13 regular-season games between disciplinary hearings.
The following is the full statement released by the NHL Public Relations department:
"New York Rangers forward Matt Rempe has been suspended for eight games, without pay, for boarding and elbowing Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen during NHL Game No. 525 in Dallas on Friday, Dec. 20, the National Hockey League’s Department of Player Safety announced today.
The incident occurred at 7:09 the third period. Rempe was assessed a major penalty and game misconduct for elbowing.
Rempe is considered a repeat offender under the terms of the Collective Bargaining Agreement and, based on his average annual salary, will forfeit $80,000.00. The money goes to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund."
However, as is every player’s right, Rempe has 48 hours to have the NHL Players’ Association file an appeal on his behalf to league commissioner Gary Bettman.