"I'm looking at 3 [games]": Analyst on Matt Rempe's potential suspension for elbowing Jonas Siegenthaler

By Abhishek Dilta

Modified Mar 12, 2024 07:17 GMT

Matt Rempe, the New York Rangers rookie forward, has made a name for himself, not for the plays but for dropping the gloves with veteran NHL guys in his brief ten-game career.

Rempe was ejected from Monday's game against the New Jersey Devils after elbowing Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler in the head.

He was assessed a five-minute major penalty along with a game misconduct for elbowing and was subsequently kicked out of the game in the dying seconds of the second period.

Siegenthaler did not return to the ice in the third period. Notably, this was Matt Rempe's second ejection while playing against the same opponent. The 6-foot-7, 241-pound forward was ejected for the first time against the Devils' Nathan Bastian.

Matt Rempe's hit on Jonas Siegenthaler has certainly caught the attention of the NHL Department of Player Safety, and they'll likely be looking into the matter.

TSN analyst Marty Biron joined Jay Ontrait of the SportsCentre to discuss Rempe's hit and suggested that he could potentially face a three-game suspension.

"For me, it's a three-game suspension. Look, I know Brendan Gallagher got five games Charlie McAvoy got four. And those were two of the four suspensions this year for an illegal hit to the head. But I think that Gallagher and McAvoy were more impactful there was more of a force. This is Rempe coming across rule 48, Right."

Biron continued:

He had a chance to deliver a clean hit to Siegenthaler and go right through the body. He decided to go in front and go with the left elbow to the jaw. So it's more than that Connor Clifton's two-game game suspension in my opinion, it's more than that."

The insider added:

"I'm looking at three [games] for Rempe. This kid has played 10 games in the NHL, but he's already got a bit of a rap sheet right so no history with the Department of Player Safety. I think they'll consider how eventful his 10 games in the NHL have been so far."

Matt Rempe in his first ten games in the league, has already been involved in fights seven times, per HockeyFights. The 21-year-old Rangers forward could face the first suspension of his career.

Kurtis MacDermid receives game misconduct for challenging Matt Rempe

Kurtis MacDermid attempted to challenge Rempe following his hit on Siegenthaler. However, the on-ice officials kept them apart, with MacDermid receiving a 10-minute misconduct.

Rempe's action after the incident didn't sit well with MacDermid. The Blue Shirts rookie forward waved at the Devils players as he was being led off the ice and seemed to have rubbed New Jersey's defenseman the wrong way.

"He's a young kid in this league. He has a lot to learn still," MacDermid said. "You don't do things like that in your first year in the league. I lost quite a bit of respect for him tonight."