Matt Rempe has been suspended eight games by the NHL for a vicious hit from behind on Dallas Stars defenceman Miro Heiskanen.
It happened in the third period of Friday night’s game when Rempe’s New York Rangers visited the Dallas Stars. Heiskanen went to play a puck along the wall, flipping it out on the backhand, with his back facing Rempe.
The 6’9″, 255 lb. Rempe went to lay a hit on Heiskanen, lifting his elbow and driving into the back of the defenders head.
In handing down the eight-game suspension, the league said Rempe’s hit violated multiple rules.
“Rempe explodes upward into a hard check to the back of a defenceless Heiksanen, while at the same time extending his elbow and forearm up and into the back of Heiskanen’s neck, driving Heiskanen dangerously into the boards and glass,” the league said. “This hit is a violation of both the boarding and the elbowing rules.
“Rempe is in complete control of how this play develops, and it is Rempe’s responsibility in this situation to avoid the contact, change the angle such that he doesn’t hit a defenceless player directly from behind, or at the very least, to minimize the force of the imminent collision. Instead, Rempe chooses to not only finish this check into the back of his opponent, but also to raise his elbow and forearm recklessly.”
Other elements from the league highlighted how Rempe has played just 23 NHL games, has been suspended four games already, for a hit on New Jersey Devils defenceman Jonas Sigenthaler.
Here’s more on Rempe from Daily Faceoff’s Hunter Crowther:
Before being called up to the Rangers, Rempe had three goals and two assists for five points and 22 penalty minutes in 18 games with New York’s AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack.
Rempe made an immediate impact upon entering the NHL. Getting into a fight in his first career NHL game, Rempe fought a total of four times in two weeks – dropping the gloves against the likes of Matt Martin, Nicolas Deslauriers, Mathieu Olivier and Ryan Reaves – grabbing the attention of everyone in the hockey world.
He would finish the season with a goal, an assist and 71 penalty minutes in 17 regular-season games.

Elias Pettersson downplays rift with J.T. Miller

The limelight is bright on Elias Pettersson and J.T. Miller as reports swirl about a rift between the two players.
Amid a disappointing start to their season, Vancouver Canucks head coach Rick Tocchet spoke candidly about what’s going on, saying “Listen, It’s all about the crest… You’re going to have arguments, you’re going to have fights… But you also need to be mature, too.”
After the Canucks fell 5-4 to the Ottawa Senators on home ice Saturday night, Pettersson spoke to the media, downplaying what was going on between he and Miller.
“I don’t know why people still try and make s**t up,” Pettersson, 26, said. “Excuse my language, but that’s my response there.”
Another question was asked about whether or not the reports have been a distraction, which led to more frustration.
“Oh my god…next question,” he responded.
There’s no knowing where things are going, but things are ugly between two premier players. Both players have term remaining on their contracts, as Pettersson is in the first year of an eight-year deal paying him $11.6-million, while Miller, 31, is in year two of a seven-year deal paying him $8-million.
Zach Laing is the Nation Network’s news director and senior columnist, making up one-half of the DFO DFS Report. He can be followed on Twitter at @zjlaing, or reached by email at zach@thenationnetwork.com.