Rangers’ Matt Rempe Criticized for Controversial Elbow Against Predators…
New York Rangers forward Matt Rempe is under intense scrutiny from NHL fans following a high elbow on Nashville Predators defenseman Nick Blankenburg during Sunday night’s game at Madison Square Garden. The first-period hit left Blankenburg visibly shaken and immediately sparked a fight between Rempe and Andreas Englund. Replays showed Blankenburg’s head snapping back into the glass, raising concerns about the severity of the incident and the possibility of disciplinary action from the NHL Department of Player Safety. Many fans took to social media, calling for a significant suspension, with some even arguing that Rempe should be banned from the league entirely.
“He needs to be kicked out of the league,” one fan wrote on X, while another demanded, “Suspend this guy permanently!” Others took a more measured stance, acknowledging Rempe’s size as a factor in his playing style. “He’s just a little uncoordinated. It doesn’t seem intentional, but his body control isn’t great,” one user noted. “At his height, his elbows and shoulders naturally align with opponents’ heads when skating.”
Some fans pointed to Rempe’s history of questionable hits and prior suspensions. “The NHL needs to step in. He can’t seem to avoid dangerous plays,” one commenter wrote. “Suspend him for the rest of the season, including playoffs if they make it.”
Rempe’s reputation for aggressive play has only fueled the backlash. Last season, he received a four-game suspension for an elbow on New Jersey Devils’ Jonas Siegenthaler. Earlier this season, he served an eight-game ban for an illegal check on Dallas Stars’ Miro Heiskanen—the longest on-ice suspension in the NHL over the past six years. After that suspension, Rempe acknowledged his need to adjust his game, saying, “I have to be smarter. I’m under a microscope right now. I need to play clean.”
Despite the controversy, Rangers head coach Peter Laviolette defended Rempe, emphasizing the forward’s physicality. “Remps is just a big guy. He was forechecking,” Laviolette told Mollie Walker of the New York Post. “When he makes contact, he’s naturally higher than most players. I don’t think it was a direct hit—maybe just a graze. That’s his role. He has to play within the rules, but we need his physical presence.” Some fans echoed this view, with one arguing that referees penalize Rempe simply for being tall and playing his style of hockey.
The Rangers secured a dominant 4-0 victory over the Predators, but Rempe’s controversial hit became the main talking point of the game. With the NHL Department of Player Safety expected to review the play, another suspension could be on the horizon for the Rangers’ enforcer. Meanwhile, the win brought New York (64 points) within two points of the Detroit Red Wings (66) in the race for the Eastern Conference’s second wild-card spot.
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