Matt Rempe walked into Thursday night’s Shoulder Check Showcase in Fairfield, CT., and for the first time in a long while, the Rangers forward could actually take part without his thumb getting in the way.
That alone marked a major turn for a player whose 2025-26 season was wrecked almost from the start. Rempe injured his thumb in a fight with veteran tough guy Ryan Reaves of the San Jose Sharks last October, then had surgery and missed nearly two months.
Even after that, the damage lingered. He said the hand was still a problem until a second surgery during the Olympic break finally put him on a better path.
“Yeah, it’s gotten a lot better,” Rempe said before the event, which was held at Sacred Heart University’s Martire Family Arena. “It’s been a work in progress, but got a lot of work done on it this summer, a lot of people helping me with that. I’m happy with where it’s at now, so it’s good.”
The injury hit in New York’s ninth game, less than three weeks into the season, and it changed everything for the 6-foot-9 forward. Rempe said he could barely grip his stick, which made it tough to play the heavy, physical game that defines him.
Fighting wasn’t really an option. Neither was doing much with the puck.
His last game came Feb. 5.
He finished the year with one goal, 11 penalty minutes, and an average TOI of 8:36 over 26 games. Even in a frustrating season, he still led the Rangers with 23.05 hits per 60 minutes.
Now, five months later, Rempe says he’s feeling much better and is already building toward training camp in September.
“Still some time before the start of the season, so still a little work to be done, but we’re in a really good spot,” he shared. “Last year was long, injured all year, so it’s been a long time. But I feel really good.”
He pointed to the second surgery as the biggest turning point.
“Just getting my hand back to be really good and strong,” Rempe explained. “Also, all the skating and skills work I’ve been doing, being able to do that. But just getting my hand back is huge.”
The contrast with last summer is hard to miss. A year ago, Rempe was everywhere, riding a surge into training camp and Opening Night. New coach Mike Sullivan quickly trusted him, and Rempe became a regular on the fourth line with center Sam Carrick and his Twin Tower buddy Adam Edstrom.
He delivered on the role, too, promising to be a smart, effective presence and making a strong early impression.
But the picture looks different now. Rempe is coming off two surgeries and a lost season, while the Rangers moved on from both of his former linemates - trading Carrick to the Buffalo Sabres in March and shipping Edstrom to the Nashville Predators this offseason.
That reality has left Rempe “extremely motivated” for the 2026-27 season.
“I’ve got a lot to prove,” he added.
He’ll have to earn his way back, too. Jaroslav Chmelar and Adam Sykora both stood out in Rempe’s absence down the stretch last season, which means the competition for a lineup spot is real.
So this summer looks different for Rempe. The attention has faded, and he seems fine with that.
“I spent this whole year rebuilding, rebuild my body, rebuild everything. I like that word,” Rempe explained.
“Just go to work, go about your business in silence. It’s good.”
The Rangers are trying to rebuild something of their own. They missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for a second straight year and finished last in the Eastern Conference this past season.
“We’ve got to come back with vengeance. Two tough seasons, and that’s not what we want to be like at all. So, we’ve got to be a lot stronger.”
In Other News...
Trocheck Just Reopened A Painful Rangers Debate After That Presidents Trophy Run
Vincent Trochecks move from New York to Utah closes a notable chapter for a Rangers player who had become part of the fabric of the lineup over the past four years. Looking back on his time with the club, Trocheck pointed to the roster turnover that followed the Rangers 2024 Presidents Trophy season, a reminder of how quickly a team can shift from contender to a different kind of transition.
For the Rangers, his departure is another marker of an offseason and a stretch of change that has already forced plenty of reflection about what came after that regular-season run. Trocheck, for his part, spoke appreciatively about his experience in New York and said he is looking ahead to joining the Mammoth organization, leaving the bigger question of where the Rangers go from here to hang in the background. [Read more 🡒]
Blue Jackets Are Trying To Matter Again In The East
Columbus spent another spring on the outside looking in, finishing with a 40-30-12 record and missing the Eastern Conference playoff cut by six points. It was the sixth straight season without a postseason berth, and the Blue Jackets spent the offseason trying to reshape the roster with additions such as Valeri Nichushkin and Ryan Lomberg while also watching key forwards walk in free agency.
For a team that has spent years trying to climb back into relevance, those are the kinds of moves that invite both hope and doubt. The Blue Jackets have clearly tried to add more bite and depth, but in a crowded East, the real question is whether this version of the roster is good enough to turn progress into a playoff return. [Read more 🡒]
Matt Rempe Faces A Rangers Camp Battle That Just Got Real
Matt Rempes road back to the Rangers has not been a clean one, and this summer only adds another layer to it. The forward missed most of the 2025-26 season after a hand injury that required two surgeries, a setback that derailed what had already become a stop-and-start year. After trying to come back too soon last season, his campaign ended in early February, leaving him with plenty to prove before training camp opens.
Now the real work is less about recovery and more about earning a place in a crowded bottom-six picture. Rempe is set to compete for one of those limited spots against younger forwards such as Jaroslav Chmelar and Adam Sykora, which makes camp a meaningful test rather than a formality. For a player still trying to reestablish himself, the battle ahead feels like the sort that can shape not just his role, but his immediate future with the Rangers. [Read more 🡒]