RALEIGH, N.C. — Before Matt Rempe underwent surgery to repair a broken thumb and missed 24 consecutive games, the 6-foot-9 forward was averaging 10:59 of ice time through eight games.
That was well over two minutes more than what he averaged through 42 games last season. It’s almost double his average during his 17-game rookie season.
Rempe never quite endeared himself to the previous coaching staff, which probably had something to do with his litany of suspensions and the way he has been closely officiated since.
New head coach Mike Sullivan, however, seemed taken with the towering fourth-liner almost immediately. Entrusting Rempe with more ice time and a net-front role on the second power-play unit, Sullivan gave the 23-year-old more of a chance than ex-bench boss Peter Laviolette ever did through his first 59 career NHL games.
