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Towering Rangers forward plans to ‘come back with vengeance’ after lost season
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- Towering Rangers forward plans to ‘come back with vengeance’ after lost season
Matt Rempe's demeanor off the ice typically is upbeat, featuring a boyish charm that endeared him to New York Rangers fans since he burst on to the NHL scene back in 2024. But at Rangers breakup day on Friday, Rempe appeared subdued and serious, discussing his frustrating season marred by one significant injury and a pair of surgeries.
The hulking six-foot-nine forward played 26 games this season, though really was only healthy for the first nine. He scored one goal and was limited after returning from October thumb surgery. He finally was shut down for good following a second surgery on his thumb in February.
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"Being hurt since October, obviously very disappointing for myself," Rempe told reporters . "I think I started the year well, then I missed 60 games because I'm hurt and have two surgeries, and when I came back, that wasn't me at all because I needed another surgery to get done. So, that was a frustrating period there. That wasn't me."
Don't expect this lost season to keep Rempe down, though.
"I've got a lot of hunger for next year," he said. "I'm sure I'll come back with vengeance."
It's the same approach Rempe displayed last summer, when challenged by the Rangers hierarchy to become a more complete and disciplined NHL player. He met the challenge and quickly earned the trust of first-year coach Mike Sullivan during training camp.
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That carried into the start of the 2025-26 season, when Rempe teamed with Sam Carrick and Adam Edstrom to turn New York's fourth line into an identity line. They played a hard, fast north-south game, ferocious on the forecheck, and committed defensively in the neutral zone and in their own end of the ice.
Rempe continued to be an intimidating presence and threat, but didn't needlessly drop the gloves as he'd done in his first two season. That's why it's so ironic that his first — and only — fight of the season submarined everything for the popular 23-year-old.
He tore up his thumb in that bout with San Jose Sharks enforcer Ryan Reaves on Oct. 23, had the first surgery, and returned to the Rangers lineup two months later on Dec. 15. Though he played 17 of the next 24 games, Rempe wasn't, well, Rempe. Unable to grip his stick, not allowed to tangle with opponents, much less drop the gloves and fight, Rempe wasn't helping himself nor his team by being in the lineup.
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"The toughest moment is when I came back, and I can't play my game," Rempe explained. "I just felt like I was not good. I was just, like, skating around and couldn't do my stuff. That was tough because I want to go out there and be good every night, play physical, and play my game. And when you're not able to do that it's like, I was really down. That was a tough month for me there."
Matt Rempe confident after second thumb surgery he's 'able to play my game' for Rangers
Dennis Schneidler-Imagn Images
The second surgery ended Rempe's season. But it also corrected the issue inside his thumb. Rempe said he can grip a stick now and feels "very confident" about the thumb healing and no longer holding him back.
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"It's coming along a lot better than the first [surgery]," Rempe shared. "After the second surgery, it's coming along really well … and now I'm confident I'll be able to play my game."
A lot happened with Rempe sidelined for nearly 60 games this season. The Rangers finished last in the Eastern Conference and missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the second consecutive season. The original fourth line completely was undone and reimagined in his absence. Edstrom missed plenty of time following ankle surgery; and the Rangers dealt Carrick to the Buffalo Sabres ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline.
And when the Rangers played some spirited hockey down the stretch, winning six of their final 10 games, it was a trio of rookies turbo-charging things on the fourth line. So, it's safe to say Rempe faces stiff competition for a spot in the lineup next season, what with the positive impression made by Adam Sykora , Jaroslav Chmelar , and even Noah Laba , who started the season the third line.
"There's a lot of great young players now, and I know them all from playing in Hartford (of the American Hockey League). We've all kind of grown up together," he said. "It's great. Competition's awesome. You want competition. You want to earn your spot.
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"All great players, great guys. I'm going to come to camp and earn it … that's my plan."
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