The most important part of Matt Rempe’s offseason was getting his hand right.
After undergoing two surgeries to repair a broken thumb last season — and attempting to return to the ice too soon in between — Rempe spent the summer regaining the full function of his hand and strengthening it.
Though Rempe worked on his skating skills as well, the primary focus had to be on his hand following a tumultuous recovery that diminished Rempe’s game and sidelined him for a majority of last season.
At a critical time in his development, the 6-foot-9 forward was put on pause in 2025-26.
Now, some of his former Wolf Pack teammates will be going toe-to-toe with him in training camp for a spot in the Rangers bottom six.
Nothing is guaranteed for Rempe going forward. He’s about to enter the last year of his contract.
As swiftly as his NHL notoriety came, his NHL chance could dissipate.
“Extremely motivated,” Rempe said Thursday before the Shoulder Check Showcase event at Martire Family Arena on Sacred Heart University’s campus. “I played nine games, and after that, I was shelved. I got a lot to prove. I got to showcase myself and come back a lot stronger. Most motivated you can be.”
Asked if his hand was feeling 100 percent, Rempe said there was “still a little work to be done.”
His timeline certainly was extended by a premature return to the lineup in December, when Rempe said he still was unable to grip his stick properly. Rempe admitted he has to be more honest about how his injuries are feeling, noting the whole process was a learning experience for him.
“Still some time until the season,” he said. “We’re in a really good spot.”
Since Rempe is no longer waiver-exempt, the Rangers may prioritize keeping the 24-year-old on the roster out of training camp to avoid losing him for nothing. If, say, Jaroslav Chmelar skates circles around him in preseason, however, it might be a risk the organization has to take.
Rempe plays a niche role that proved to be empowering for the 2023-24 team that reached the Eastern Conference Final. Though it’s been some time since the Rangers worked with that true enforcer element, and it’s unclear how he can be maximized in head coach Mike Sullivan’s system.
Sullivan was impressed by Rempe early on, but the Calgary native’s time away from the ice has allowed for other prospects to emerge and capture the veteran coach’s attention.
The part of Rempe’s game that enticed Sullivan the most was his ability to create momentum.
It’s true, Rempe can influence the energy of a game with one hit or one punch. His physicality is something not only the team can feed off but the fans inside Madison Square Garden.
Alas, Rempemania came at a time when Big No. 73 still was adjusting to the NHL game.
Players always say it’s a lot harder to stay in the NHL than it is to break in.
Last season’s thumb injury may have caused Rempe to fall behind, but coming to training camp with a more complete game could be the difference for him.
“I think we got to come back with vengeance,” he said of the Rangers as a whole. “Two tough seasons and knowing that’s not what we want to be like at all. We got to come back way stronger.”
Whether or not Rempe is part of that “we” is yet to be seen.
