New York Rangers tough guy Matt Rempe will be a scratch for the New York Rangers on Tuesday when they play the Winnipeg Jets, according to Larry Brooks of the New York Post.
Head coach Peter Laviolette confirmed after the morning skate to media that he was sticking with the same lineup from Sunday's win against the Islanders. Rempe has not played since March 11 because of a four-game suspension, which has now been served.
Rempe, 21, has garnered a massive amount of media attention for specializing in what seemed to be a dying aspect of the NHL game: fighting. Since making his NHL debut against the Islanders on Feb. 18 in a Stadium Series game, the six-foot-seven Calgarian has fought four times in just 10 games.
While some celebrated his willingness to go toe-to-toe with veteran pugilists Matt Martin in his first NHL game, or Ryan Reaves more recently in Toronto, others began to speculate on why the Rangers were allowing a rookie to submit himself to repeated blows to the head in such a short period.
Rempe did receive a break from all the fighting when he was suspended four games last week by the NHL Department of Player Safety for elbowing Jonas Siegenthaler of the Devils in a game on March 11. Tuesday's game marks the end of his suspension, so he is available to play.
The forward, who was drafted in the sixth round by the Rangers in 2020, has one goal and one assist in his 10 games, but 54 minutes in penalties, while averaging 5:39 of ice time per game.
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