On Tuesday morning, we learned that Matt Rempe was going to have a phone hearing with the Department of Player Safety for his elbow to the head of Jonas Siegenthaler.
A phone hearing meant that it was going to be a five-game suspension or less. He may deserve more but he didn't have any documented history of suspensions or fines coming into this hearing.
The Department of Player Safety ended up suspending Matt Rempe for four games for his actions. He will be out for games against the Carolina Hurricanes, Tampa Bay Lightning, Pittsburgh Penguins, and New York Islanders.
NY Rangers’ Matt Rempe has been suspended for four games for elbowing New Jersey’s Jonas Siegenthaler. https://t.co/Wy1In85pj4
— NHL Player Safety (@NHLPlayerSafety) March 12, 2024
Rempe has been a polarizing player since coming into the NHL. He plays on the edge and fights a lot. He has almost as many penalty minutes as minutes played over the first 10 games of his career. It is pretty crazy that he already has his first multi-game suspension after just 10 NHL games.
The New York Rangers are going to be without Matt Rempe for four games
Now, this kid has to take a look in the mirror. He isn't going to last very long in today's NHL if he keeps getting punched in the face the way he does or getting suspended.
New Jersey was unable to take advantage of the five-minute majors that he has given them over the two times they've met but that won't be the case if he acts like that in the playoffs.
Teams like the Carolina Hurricanes, Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, or Florida Panthers are not going to be as light on them if Rempe hands over a five-minute major.
Someone in that organization needs to have a chat with him. He can be an impactful player in the NHL if he finds a good balance. However, this suspension is not good news.
We can only hope that the kid figures out the fine line to keep following this incident. He has injured a few people now and it has to stop.