Rangers bruiser turns corner after 8-game suspension

There is no denying Matt Rempe’s significance to the New York Rangers. They are 27-9-4 with the towering forward in the lineup in his brief NHL career, after one of his best games to date, a 5-1 win against the New York Islanders on Tuesday.

The Calgary native is now a staple on the fourth line and was part of a new-look trio with Jonny Brodzinski and Brennan Othmann on Tuesday at UBS Arena. They combined for three goals, including one by Rempe, and numerous scoring chances. In a big game in the middle of a tight playoff race, Rempe’s line excelled and was the Rangers’ best in a crucial matchup against their archrival.

The unit got pucks and bodies to the net, consistently forechecked hard, took away Ilya Sorokin’s eyes with screens, and played a simple game in the offensive zone. Maybe it was the familiarity of each playing with one another for Hartford of the American Hockey League over the past couple years, but Rempe, Brodzinski and Othmann had excellent chemistry right from their first shift against the Islanders.

“They were all good,” Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said postgame. “Jonny obviously had a big night (with three points). It was maybe Remps’ best game offensively. And I thought ‘Otter’ came up and did a really good job just contributing offensively. He made a lot of good little plays out there.”

Matt Rempe taking major strides for Rangers since return from suspension

Tuesday marked Rempe’s 18th consecutive game in the Rangers lineup. He’d appeared in only five earlier this season, when he bounced between New York and Hartford. Each of the 18 games follow his eight-game suspension for boarding Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen on Dec. 20.

Following a five-game suspension and some reckless play last season, the Heiskanen hit and ensuing suspension may be a turning point in Rempe’s career.

Since he returned to the lineup, Rempe has been much more cautious in his decision-making. His purpose is to be an aggressive physical player who can provide a spark for the Rangers, but he knows he has to be in control and provide clean hits. He’s done that and proven to be a difference maker.

After returning from his suspension, the popular 22-year-old acknowledged he was a “marked man” and subsequent suspensions could threaten his NHL career. It looks like he’s a learned a valuable lesson.

In his first five games this season, Rempe compiled 24 penalty minutes, zero points, and no shots on goal. Rempe averaged just over six minutes per game during that span. Since returning to the lineup Jan. 9 against the New Jersey Devils, Rempe has been an effective player and earned more trust from Laviolette.

Over his past 18 games, Rempe has taken just 19 penalty minutes, five of which came from a fight against Montreal Canadiens enforcer Arber Xhekaj. He has four points (two goals, two assists) during that span. Overall, the 6-foot-9 forward is plus-5 this season and averages three hits per game. Not bad considering he averages just 7:42 TOI, including a season-high 11:30 against the Islanders. His hits/60 is a whopping 22.71, best on the Rangers.

This current and evolving version of Rempe is one the Rangers can trust and consistently deploy.

When he plays disciplined hockey and stays out of the box, Rempe is a significant factor for this Rangers team. He energizes the bench, infuses life into Madison Square Garden, and intimidates opponents. He’s showing that he’s got the smarts and skill to play a regular fourth-line shift.

This is a positive development for the Rangers, both for the present and future.