NEW YORK (AP) New York Rangers forward Matt Rempe has been suspended four games for elbowing New Jersey Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler in the head.
The NHL’s department of player safety announced the ban after a disciplinary hearing Tuesday, handing the well-known rookie his first suspension 10 games into his career.
Rempe, 21, had taken the league by storm by fighting four times since being called up from the minors. He delivered a couple of borderline hits, and that rough play combined with fisticuffs gave him 54 penalty minutes - just below his total ice time of 56:28.
Then came the hit on Siegenthaler on Monday night, which drew a five-minute major and a game misconduct. The league, in a video explaining its rationale for suspending four games, said Rempe flared his left elbow up and out in dangerous fashion in order to make contact rather than missing completely.
Siegenthaler was injured on the play and did not return.
Rempe forfeits $17,083 in salary as part of the suspension. He’ll miss games at Carolina, Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh and at home against the New York Islanders before being eligible to come back March 19 against Winnipeg.
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