Matt Lempe’s ejection for a hit on Nathan Bastian last week against the Devils is a situation the towering forward has had to overcome for most of his hockey career.
The former coaches met with related parties.
Management has had to intervene on Rempe’s behalf in the past.
At 6-foot-8 1/2, Lempe is head and shoulders above everyone else on the ice.
There’s a price he had to pay for that pure fact and the way he played. Beautiful or not, the weight and reception of Rempe’s hits vary depending on his potion.
So even if everything is done correctly – staying on his feet, keeping his elbows down, penetrating his body – Rempe is susceptible to penalties due to the impact of his strikes.
“There was a case like this. [in Newark last Thursday]But I’m just learning to hit right in the game,” Rempe told the Post after Wednesday’s optional morning skate at MSG. “I’m a big guy and can hit with speed, so I had to make sure it penetrated my body and didn’t clip or anything like that. I think I know how to hit it. Most of the shots. I think it hits very cleanly, so it’s not a concern.
“So there’s nothing to worry about. Just learning, learning in-game, what’s going to be a hit, what’s going to be a hit, etc. is going to be good.”
Lempe was suspended from numerous games during the 2021-22 season, his final season with the Western Hockey League’s Seattle Thunderbirds.
Before being called up by the Rangers this season, Lempe had collected 96 penalties with the American Hockey League’s Wolfpack.
Wednesday was his sixth NHL game, and he had already accumulated 32 minutes of penalty time through his first five games and was given a match penalty.
This is not new territory for Rempe, who said he doesn’t let his height dictate his play. And why should he do that? It’s not his fault that he’s the tallest player in the NHL (though he’s certainly half an inch behind the Canucks’ 6-foot-8 defenseman Tyler Myers).
There’s also no need to apologize for the traits that helped him stand out and ultimately achieve his dream of playing in the NHL.
But Rempe made the necessary adjustments. He had to do that or almost every night he would drop forward and leave the team.
“I think the only thing with open ice hits, especially for juniors, is you just want to make sure they line up,” he said. “If you don’t line up perfectly, you can fail in some cases. Just make sure you line up. It doesn’t change my game at all.”
