NHL referees owe Matt Rempe an apology

To say New York Rangers fans have been disappointed with calls NHL referees have made regarding Matt Rempe would be the understatement of the year.

Rempe is impossible to miss out on the ice. The forward stands 6-foot-9, weighs 255 pounds and definitely has a tough-guy persona when he’s out there due to his reputation for on-ice fights. Recently on Thursday, Wild forward Devin Shore skated into an unsuspecting Rempe and crumbled to the ice in a brilliant display of acting to draw the call. But, shortly after seeing a replay of the interference penalty deemed against Rempe, the referee actually skated over and apologized.

This apology did — in fact — not prevent the Minnesota wild from scoring the tying goal on the ensuing power play, although it was easier to forgive after New York rallied for a very much needed 3-2 overtime win.

Some might say it's just a bad call. After all, referees are human beings who can make a mistake just like anyone else. To this — Blue Line Station quite simply says — wrong.

The game against Minessota was actually the second consecutive game Rempe was whistled for a critical third-period penalty that quite clearly never occurred. During the Blueshirts' Tueday night 2-1 loss in Winnipeg, Jet's forward Morgan Barron pushed the 22-year-old rookie into Connor Hellebuyck, yet Rempe was charged with goalie interference.

New York Rangers Head Coach Peter Laviolette recently spoke out on all of the attention Rempe has been receiving from the refs as of late.

"The size of him, the way he plays the game, it just draws attention. It's unfortunate because sometimes ... he's not really doing anything and he's in the [penalty] box ... There’s always conversations that go on. Game happens fast out there. But with regard to Matt, we're just trying to get him the benefit of the doubt once in a while."

Head coach Peter Laviolette

"I didn’t agree with the call. They're saying they want to protect the goaltenders, but I don't know. I just didn’t agree with it."

Laviolette, after the Jets game

Rempe himself also spoke out after being seen reacting over the recent penalties he's been so graciously awarded.

"[The referee who made that call against Minnesota] came up and apologized in the third to me. He came up and said it just looked bad from his angle and stuff. He said he just made a mistake. You make mistakes. That’s what happens. It is what it is ... I don't agree with the calls. On that one last game, the guy just ran into me. I didn’t see him, but I know I’m a big guy who plays a physical game."

Matt Rempe