The NHL Department of Player Safety suspended Matt Rempe for four games on Tuesday. The rookie for the New York Rangers will not play in his first game on Tuesday night against the Carolina Hurricanes. He can play again on March 19 when the team plays the Winnipeg Jets
Rempe received a suspension after elbowing defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler of the New Jersey Devils during Monday’s 3-1 victory over New York at Madison Square Garden. The hit occurred late in the second period, and he was given a game misconduct and five-minute major penalty.
The Department of Player Safety stated on Tuesday afternoon, “Remembrizing he might miss his hit entirely, Rempe raises his elbow up and into the head of Siegenthaler’s head with force, causing an injury.” “Having arrived at an angle of approach that will take him across Siegenthaler’s body and possibly miss Siegenthaler entirely, Rempe chooses to flare his elbow both up and away from his body in a dangerous fashion, driving it directly and substantially into Siegenthaler’s head.” “Rempe is clearly committed to throwing a tick on this play.”
Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said pregame in Carolina that Rempe put up his elbow to brace himself for crashing into the boards, not to his the Devils defenseman.
“He’s got to be mindful, as well,” Laviolette said. “He can learn from it.” Was part of it that Rempe was bracing himself heading toward the boards? “That is what happened,” #NYR coach Peter Laviolette said. “That being said, in those situations and when you’re talking to him about it, he’s got to be mindful as well. He was getting to a point where…
Jonny Brodzinski will replace Rempe on the fourth line against the Hurricanes. Brodzinski has been a healthy scratch the previous two games since forwards Alex Wennberg and Jack Roslovic joined the lineup after being acquired ahead of the NHL trade deadline.
