Rangers rookie Matt Rempe suspended for 4 games for elbowing Devils player in the head

New York Rangers’ rugged rookie Matt Rempe has four fights, 54 penalty minutes and two ejections in his first 10 NHL games.

Now he has his first NHL suspension.

The Department of Player Safety announced Tuesday that it is suspending the 6-foot-7, 230-pound forward for four games for elbowing New Jersey Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler in the head during Monday night’s game.

He will have to forego $17,083.32 in salary.

With 30 seconds left in the second period, Rempe received a major penalty and a game misconduct penalty, and Siegenthaler did not play in the third period.

“He’s obviously not doing well,” said Devils interim coach Travis Green. “He hasn’t come back. You never want to see a player get hit like that.”

Siegenthaler has a concussion, Devils reporter Amanda Stein posted on X, formerly Twitter, on Wednesday. Green said the defender will be out for an “extended period of time.”

It was the second time that 21-year-old Rempe had knocked a Devils player out of the game. In his third NHL game, he was sent off after 13 seconds of ice time for hitting Nathan Bastian bloodily with a hard hit.

Veteran enforcer Kurtis MacDermid, recently signed by the Devils, attempted to challenge Rempe in Monday’s game for his Feb. 22 hit. After hitting Siegenthaler, MacDermid attempted to challenge him again, but on-ice officials kept them apart.

“I wish I could have reached him sooner and taught him a lesson,” said MacDermid, who was given a 10-minute disciplinary penalty.

Rempe further angered the Devils players by waving to them before being escorted off the ice.

“He’s a young guy in this league. He’s got a lot to learn,” MacDermid said. “You don’t do that in your first year in the league. I lost a lot of respect for him tonight.”

Rempe made a name for himself in his first seven games by battling Matt Martin, Nicolas Deslauriers, Mathieu Olivier and Ryan Reaves. Reaves said Rempe “is going to be a threat in this league.”

Rempe also has two points, including a game-winning goal. Although he didn’t score a point, he was involved in the Rangers’ second goal of their 3-1 victory by winning a face-off and shielding Devils goalie Kaapo Kahkonen on Erik Gustafsson’s goal.

“I hope Siegenthaler is OK. I thought Rempe had a strong game up until that point,” said Rangers coach Peter Laviolette.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rangers’ Matt Rempe suspended for elbowing Devils’ Jonas Siegenthaler