Why Matt Rempe’s eight-game suspension made sense

Credit: © Jerome Miron-Imagn Images

Matt Rempe must’ve been feeling charitable this holiday season, as the New York Rangers forward is ponying up a lot of money following his actions last weekend.

Rempe received a game misconduct for elbowing Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen last Friday night. It was his first game since his recent call-up from the American Hockey League. The hit led to Rempe receiving an eight-game suspension for elbowing/boarding, in which he will have to forfeit $80,000.

The supplemental discipline makes sense for the 22-year-old. The viciousness of the hit warranted a suspension as it is, not to mention the fact that Rempe was suspended four games last March for elbowing Jonas Siegenthaler of the New Jersey Devils.

While the 6-foot-7 Rempe does bring a desired physical element to his game, which can have a positive impact on the Rangers, he needs to rein it in so he doesn’t become a liability.

On Monday’s edition of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Frank Seravalli and Tyler Yaremchuk explain why Rempe’s suspension was the proper penalty.

Tyler Yaremchuk: This is about as clear-cut of a major penalty as you can get, and a suspension. It is in the numbers. Rempe has all the time in the world to slow up and just not do this. He just opts not to.

Frank Seravalli: They sent him a warning shot with his previous suspension. The fact that he’s at a point in time where he’s got more ejections than points scored in the NHL, probably not a good look. I think what I dislike about this hit the most, aside from the fact that it’s from behind, is really just the arm placement and the elbow. Why do you feel the need, if you’re going to make the hit at all, to smoke him in the head with your elbow at the same time? That’s the part that I don’t really understand.

I do think there’s a place in the NHL for Matt Rempe. I think he needs to learn a lot. He needs to harness his body size and find a way to appropriately walk the line like so many others have before him.

You can watch the full segment and entire episode here…