New York (Reuters) — Matt Rempe, an emerging forward for the New York Rangers, has been handed an eight-game suspension by the NHL’s Department of Player Safety following a boarding and elbowing incident involving Miro Heiskanen, a defenseman from the Dallas Stars, during a match last Friday night.

The decision came after Rempe participated in an in-person hearing via Zoom, a step that resulted in the possibility of a longer suspension being applied, as explained by George Parros, senior vice president of player safety.

This announcement followed the Rangers’ 3-1 defeat to the Carolina Hurricanes, marking the team’s dismal record of 12 losses in their past 16 games, including four consecutive losses at home in Madison Square Garden.

Standing at 6-foot-8, Rempe made a name for himself in his rookie season by taking on some of the league’s toughest players. However, his aggressive play style has led to complications; he was ejected from two games and previously faced a four-game suspension for elbowing Jonas Siegenthaler of the New Jersey Devils back in March.

At just 22 years old, Rempe has yet to record any points in five games this current season. His recent game against the Stars marked his return to the NHL after being called up from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the AHL, where he contributed three goals and two assists along with 22 penalty minutes over 18 matches.

During the summer, Rempe focused on improving both his fighting skills and overall gameplay. He had limited ice time, playing less than six minutes in the victorious game against Dallas, yet he played a crucial role by drawing three penalties that contributed to the team’s win and ended a three-game losing streak.

Throughout 22 regular-season games with the Rangers, Rempe has accumulated four game misconducts and eight major penalties. The Rangers selected him in the sixth round of the 2020 NHL Draft. His rise to fame began in February when he successfully fought Matt Martin of the New York Islanders at an outdoor game witnessed by nearly 80,000 fans during his NHL debut.

Last season, he recorded one goal and one assist along with an impressive 71 penalty minutes across 17 games, and he also made a splash in the playoffs, scoring once in 11 games as the Rangers advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals, where they were ultimately defeated by the Florida Panthers in six games.