Matt Rempe’s long wait is finally over.
After not appearing in a game for the New York Rangers since Feb. 5 last season, the 6-foot-9 forward is set to get back on the ice Monday in the preseason opener against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center. It’s his first game after a stretch that included a shattered thumb, two surgeries and a long spell where he wasn’t feeling like himself.
Now, Rempe says he’s all the way back.
He missed time after breaking his thumb in a fight with Ryan Reaves of the San Jose Sharks on Oct. 23 last year, then needed two more procedures to get right. Even after returning less than two months later, he wasn’t able to grip the puck properly or do the things that usually make him effective. The 24-year-old said the difference now is obvious.
“I feel good. I think I had a good summer.
I feel like I’ve had a good start to camp,” he said. “I feel like I’m in a good spot.”
That health boost matters because nothing is guaranteed anymore. Rempe had one goal and 11 penalty minutes in 26 games last season, and while he made the team the past couple years, this camp comes with real competition.
He’s working in with Jaroslav Chmelar at fourth-line right wing, and the Rangers appear to have Tye Kartye and Joe Veleno lined up for two-thirds of the fourth line. Taylor Raddysh is also in the mix, possibly as the extra forward.
For Rempe, that means the pressure is real. And he’s not hiding from it.
“I made the team the past couple years and I love it,” Rempe explained Monday morning. “Last year, I was hurt, wasn’t really around at all, which means it’s been a long time for me since my last game.
So, all the sense of desperation I need. I want to be here bad.”
Monday’s test comes against a Devils group that looks more like a true NHL lineup, which makes the assignment even tougher for a player trying to show he’s not just healthy, but better. He’ll skate with Hartford center Carey Terrance and first-year pro Jacob Battaglia on the fourth line.
Rempe has looked more like himself during camp, taking the body and getting involved physically again. That’s part of the job description, and he knows it.
“Every day, whatever spot you’re in you just do the best you can. Be positive every day, and have fun with it. Whatever reps you get, just make the most of it,” he explained.
That’s the mission now: seize the reps, use the health, and make a case for a roster spot. Rempe said it plainly.
“I know what’s expected of me,” Rempe said.
In Other News...
Matt Rempe Suddenly Has Real Pressure In This Rangers Roster Fight
Matt Rempe got one of the more telling looks of Rangers preseason so far when he dressed against the Devils, even as most of the regulars stayed home. For a player trying to carve out an opening night role, those are the kinds of games that matter because every shift feeds into how the staff sorts out the bottom of the lineup. The roster battle around him is no longer just about energy or size, but about who can actually fit into the teams plans when the games start to count.
Rempe is in the mix for a fourth-line right wing spot, and the decision is complicated by the practical side of roster building. The Rangers have to weigh not just what each player brings on the ice, but how easy it is to move him if he does not make the club. That reality gives the competition a sharper edge, and it leaves Rempe facing a familiar but very real preseason test as the opening night roster takes shape. [Read more 🡒]
Former Rangers First-Round Pick Just Had A Wild New Start
Brennan Othmanns first preseason appearance for Calgary barely lasted a couple of shifts, but it was enough to make an impression. The former Rangers first-round pick, traded to the Flames last March, got right into the action with a scoring chance and showed the kind of energy that can catch a coachs eye as he pushes for a spot on the opening-night roster.
The night also showed how quickly things can turn for a player trying to carve out a role. Othmanns aggressive play drew a major response and a game misconduct, leaving him with a stat line that was as eventful as it was brief, while Flames coach Ryan Huska still came away seeing a noticeable impact from the short stint on the ice. [Read more 🡒]
Mike Sullivan Faces An Early Rangers Decision That Could Shape Camp
The Rangers are heading into their 2026-27 preseason with a shorter runway than usual, and that alone makes every exhibition game feel a little more valuable. With only four games on the schedule because of the extended regular season, Mike Sullivan and his staff will have less time to sort through the lineup, which should naturally push more chances toward younger players and prospects as camp unfolds.
The clearest early question is in goal, where the group behind Igor Shesterkin is still taking shape. Dylan Garand and Joonas Korpisalo are both in the mix for preseason work, and with the new format shrinking the margin for evaluation, how the Rangers divide those looks could say plenty about where they see the depth chart headed once camp really gets going. [Read more 🡒]