After Matt Rempe’s hearing with the NHL Department of Player Safety, Peter Laviolette and the New York Rangers found out how long the team will be without their enforcer. Rempe was sanctioned because of his brutal hit on Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen.
The Rangers cannot catch a break these days. While the Blueshirts lost 3-1 to the Carolina Hurricanes at Madison Square Garden, fourth liner Rempe was taking part in a hearing via Zoom with the NHL‘s officials.
In a city as star-studded as New York City, the biggest headlines-maker in the Rangers organization is apparently a bottom-liner with only two points in his NHL career. Rempe is the stormbringer in the Big Apple. Whenever he’s called up, trouble is sure to follow.
The 22-year-old was called up for the clash against the Stars and wasted no time leaving his mark. He delivered a brutal hit to Heiskanen’s head, crashing him against the boards, which earned him a five-minute major and a game misconduct.
New York Rangers Right Wing Matt Rempe (73) during the 2nd Annual Shoulder Check Showcase for Mental Health Awareness on July 25th, 2024 at Terry Conners Rink in Stamford, CT.
Following the game, the league summoned Rempe for a hearing. Shortly after the Rangers’ loss to the Hurricanes, Laviolette’s concerns deepened upon learning the severity of Rempe’s suspension. Matt Rempe was assessed an eight-game hiatus.
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“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 Safetyannounced today
Statement suspension for a repeat offender
While many believe the verdict was far-fetched, the league made a statement by imposing such a severe sanction on a player that’s earned a reputation for being a modern-day enforcer. Rempe has only played 22 games in the NHL, yet he registers nine major penalties and four misconducts over that span.
As the league moves toward a less aggressive playstyle—aiming to reduce unnecessary violence in the sport—players like Rempe find their spots at risk. However, whenever he’s on the ice, Rempe doesn’t shy away from his maverick style.
“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 league stated, via NHL.com.
Head coach Peter Laviolette of the New York Rangers speaks with the media prior to the game against the Montreal Canadiens at Madison Square Garden on November 30, 2024 in New York City.
Laviolette comments on Rempe
While the role of the enforcer in the NHL is widely endangered, there are still a handful of them in the league. Rempe has become the new face of this group and is used as the scapegoat for those who intend to wipe the enforcers off the rink. Regardless, Laviolette doesn’t seem to mind Rempe’s aggressiveness.
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“I would like to stay away from the five-minute major, but he’s doing his best to hit bodies and make a difference in the game,” Laviolette stated, via Vince Z. Mercogliano on X. “Our guys really rallied around that, as well. I thought he led off a little bit at the end. He’s just such a big guy.“
Rempe will be cleared to return to the ice on January 9 when the New York Rangers take on the New Jersey Devils at Madison Square Garden.
