Rangers’ Matt Rempe still earning trust from coaches with playing time limited
NY Post
MONTREAL — Matt Rempe is in the midst of his first extended look of the season, skating in his sixth straight game in the Rangers’ 5-4 overtime loss to the Canadiens on Sunday night at Bell Center.
After serving an eight-game suspension for boarding and elbowing Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen on Dec. 20, the 6-foot-8 ½ forward has played a straightforward and simple game under extremely limited minutes.
Head coach Peter Laviolette capped Rempe at 5:33 TOI against the Utah Hockey Club on Thursday and 5:51 against the Blue Jackets at Madison Square Garden on Saturday before deploying the Rangers rookie for 7:18 Sunday night.
That included zero shifts in the third period in Utah, just one against Columbus and then four at Bell Center.
The 22-year-old hadn’t committed a single infraction in the previous five games, but Rempe was called for roughing and dropping the gloves with Montreal’s Arber Xhekaj.
It’s clear Rempe is still earning the trust of the coaching staff.
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