NHL Referee Makes Shocking Move After Bizzare Matt Rempe Call at Recent Rangers Game

“It’s frustrating, for sure. I don’t agree with the calls on that. That one last night, the guy just ran into me.” Matt Rempe didn’t hold back as he reflected on the officiating that has put him under the spotlight lately. It’s becoming a trend—game after game—that he finds himself in the box for penalties, leaving fans and teammates shaking their heads, and Thursday night was one of them.

During the game, which would eventually stretch to a thrilling overtime finish, Minnesota’s Devin Shore collided with Rempe, and it was all accidental, with no intent or prolonged contact. But before anyone could process the sequence, referee Brandon Blandina’s arm was already up. And it was an eyebrow-raising penalty, already, on Rempe that led to a goal. Fans started expressing frustration and concern over the possibility of unfair officiating being overlooked!

But then came the twist that no one saw coming! The referee did something unusual when he skated over to Rempe and apologised! That’s right, and an official actually admitted that the call was wrong. NHL reporter Mollie Walker broke the news on X, posting, “#NYR Matt Rempe said the ref came over to him in the third period and apologized for the bogus interference penalty yesterday. Ref told him it looked bad from his angle.” That was truly a very rare moment of accountability in NHL history, ever!

And Rempe’s response? Well, he acknowledged the mistake in a very composed manner when he said, “He came up and said it just looked bad from his angle, but he said that he made a mistake.” “You make mistakes. That’s what happens. It is what it is,” he added. However, when he reflected on how he has been officiated lately, his words had a different tone—one that hinted at growing frustration. While he accepted the referee’s apology at the moment, his broader reflection made it clear that these questionable calls are starting to affect him. Thankfully, he has his team behind him.

Matt Rempe’s team thinks he gets penalized for nothing

While the six-foot-nine center has never shied away from physicality, recent calls against him have sparked frustration within the team. Twice this week, Rempe found himself in the penalty box for infractions that, upon review, appeared questionable at best. And while his reputation as a tough guy precedes him, head coach Laviolette believes that his sheer size and playing style make him an easy target for officials!

“The size of him, the way he plays the game, it just draws attention. It’s unfortunate because sometimes, like tonight, he’s not really doing anything and he’s in the box,” the head coach said after Thursday’s win. Rempe’s teammate and forward Will Cuylle also came out in support. “Some tough calls against us, but I thought we stuck with it and it’s great to come out with two points,” he said, after the game on Thursday.

Against the Jets, Rempe was whistled for goaltender interference even though it was clear that Morgan Barron had pushed him into Connor Hellebuyck. And, with back-to-back penalties that left the Rangers fuming, the question of bias against Rempe started becoming tough to ignore. This time, too, the coach had his back when he said, “I didn’t agree with the call. They’re saying they want to protect the goaltenders, but I don’t know. I just didn’t agree with it.”

However, if we look more precisely, this isn’t just about one player now, but about a bigger pattern. Rempe has already racked up 123 penalty minutes in just 48 career games, along with two suspensions that fueled the perception of officials, watching him differently than other players. After all, he’s an enforcer, and with the Rangers making a playoff push, can they afford to keep fighting both their opponents and the officials? Well, here’s what Rempe believes- “I know I’m a big guy who plays a physical game and stuff, it’s unfortunate… I’m just trying to play my game, I think I’m playing really well… I’m not going to let it deter me.”