Towering Rangers forward Matt Rempe ‘extremely motivated’ after lost season

FAIRFIELD, CT. — Matt Rempe’s surgically-repaired thumb doesn’t exactly look pretty. But at least it’s no longer impeding the New York Rangers forward from playing hockey.

Rempe was here Thursday night to once again participate in the Shoulder Check Showcase , an annual charity event involving NHL and PWHL players to raise awareness about mental health issues. And, yes, he was able to participate fully, something he couldn’t really do for the Rangers after shredding his thumb in a fight with veteran tough guy Ryan Reaves of the San Jose Sharks last October.

“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 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.”

Rempe sustained the injury in New York’s ninth game, less than three weeks into the 2025-26 season. He missed nearly two months after having surgery on his injured thumb. But the surgery left him a shell of his former self on the ice.

The 6-foot-9 forward could barely hold his stick, much less play his usual robust physical style. Fighting and standing up for his teammates wasn’t an option. Neither really was shooting or passing the puck effectively.

After several starts and stops, Rempe and the Rangers decided it was best for him to undergo a second surgery during the Olympic break. His last game played was Feb. 5. He finished the extremely frustrating season with one goal, 11 penalty minutes, and an average TOI of 8:36 over 26 games, though he did lead the Rangers with a whopping 23.05 hits per 60 minutes.

Now, five months later, Rempe feels better and is ramping up for 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.”

What’s the biggest difference after the second surgery?

“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.”

Matt Rempe believes he’s ‘got a lot to prove’ with Rangers next season

What a difference a year makes. Last summer, it seemed just about every move Rempe made was chronicled on social media. The popular forward rode a wave right into training camp and Opening Night of the 2025-26 season. He won over new coach Mike Sullivan , who made Rempe a fixture right away on the fourth line with center Sam Carrick and his Twin Tower buddy Adam Edstrom.

Rempe kept his promise to be a smart, effective force on the ice. And the early results were very promising.

Matt Rempe on ice with Rangers teammate Gabe Perreault at the Shoulder Check Showcase — photo courtesy Jim Cerny

A year later, he’s coming off two surgeries and a lost season; and the Rangers traded Carrick to the Buffalo Sabres in March, and shipped Edstrom to the Nashville Predators this offseason.

Rempe said it all leaves him “extremely motivated” for the 2026-27 season.

“I’ve got a lot to prove,” he added.

That’s excabberated by the fact he’s got serious competition for a spot in the lineup. Both Jaroslav Chmelar and Adam Sykora shined in his absence down the stretch last season.

So, the bloom is a bit off the rose, as the old saying goes. Rempe now flies under the radar , somewhat forgotten, heading into training camp.

Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images Credit: IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

And the 24-year-old seems to like it that way.

“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 bounce back he hopes to achieve is one that’s mirrored by the Rangers as a whole, as well. The Rangers missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs two years in a row, 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.”

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