New York Rangers forward Matt Rempe was suspended for eight games by NHL’s Department of Player Safety on Sunday for boarding and elbowing Dallas Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen on Friday night.

Rempe had an in-person hearing via Zoom on Sunday, as opposed to a phone call, which allowed senior vice president of player safety George Parros and his department to suspend Rempe for six or more games.

Rempe, a 6-foot-8 forward, became popular last season in his rookie year with the Rangers for fighting some of the toughest players in the league, but he was ejected twice and also received a four-game ban for an elbow to the head of New Jersey’s Jonas Siegenthaler.

That history factored in on the length of the suspension, along with injury and intent on the play that occurred with 13 minutes left in the third period Friday night. Heiskanen returned to skate four more shifts after going through concussion protocol, according to Stars coach Peter DeBoer, who called it a dangerous hit.

The game at Dallas was Rempe’s first back in the NHL after being recalled from the minors following the Rangers' trade of winger Kaapo Kakko to Seattle. Rempe spent the summer training to become a better fighter but also worked to become a better all-around player.

Now 22, Rempe has spent the vast majority of the season with Hartford of the American Hockey League. He played less than six minutes in the 3-1 win against the Stars, after which Rangers coach Peter Laviolette told reporters he thought Rempe “had a big impact on the game.”

“I’d like to stay away from the 5-minute major, but he’s doing his best to hit bodies and make a difference in the game,” Laviolette said. "Our guys really rallied around that at the end.”