After an injury-riddled year, Matt Rempe is entering the 2026-27 season with something to prove. 

On Oct. 23, in a game between the New York Rangers and the San Jose Sharks, Rempe broke his thumb during a fight with Ryan Reaves.

The broken thumb required surgery, and Rempe was placed on long-term injured reserve, missing a total of 24 games. 

The 24-year-old forward played in just 17 games before being forced to undergo another thumb surgery, missing the rest of the season.

Months after his second surgery, Rempe confirmed that his thumb is in much better shape. 

“It’s gotten a lot better,” Rempe said. “It's been a work in progress and done a ton of work on it this summer and a lot of people are helping me with that and happy where it's at now. So that's good…

“I feel good. Still some time (before the) start of the season, so still more work to be done, but we’re in a really good spot.” 

This summer has been all about getting back to normal for Rempe. 

During the 2025-26 campaign, he admitted that he wasn’t able to properly grip his stick because of his broken thumb, as the injury severely hindered his capabilities on the ice. 

That’s why Rempe has focused on re-strengthening his hand with the hopes of feeling a sense of normalcy he hasn’t felt since before his fight against Reaves.

“It's getting my hand back to being functional and really good and strong,” Rempe said about his offseason priorities. “Just getting my hand back was huge for me.”

Disappointed by what transpired last season, Rempe feels a new sense of motivation to flip the script. 

It won’t be an easy path for Rempe to make the opening-night roster though, as he’ll have to compete with a slew of young players for a bottom-six role. 

“Extremely motivated,” Rempe said of his mindset this upcoming season. “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.”