The New York Rangers have a rough and tough player who could be on his last chance in 2026-27. Matt Rempe, who is an absolute legend with the Blueshirts fanbase, had a noticeable step backward last season, as injury plagued him from doing what he does best.
This 84-game stretch in front of us is his last year under contract, and the emphasis is on youthful players with more skill than just banging bodies. Rempe has to bring it all every night just to stay relevant.
Thumb has to be healed
Rempe has had an issue with his thumb, which has prevented him from being able to throw down the gloves against anybody. It has also really hindered his ability to check and use his hand at all to disrupt the other team. What good is an enforcer if he cannot enforce?
An enforcer without the ability to enforce is a waste of a roster spot. Especially when those nine minutes a night can be used for a prospect who wants to show off his ability to be an everyday NHLer. The forward group is Hartford is going to be a hungry bunch, and each will want to make their first impression their best one if they get the chance.
The hope is that this injury is resolved, and that No. 73 can get back to doing what he does best.
Complete goon or forechecking mastermind
For Rempe to stay on past this upcoming season, he has to become one of two things for the Rangers. He has to become a complete goon, hitting anything with a pulse and constantly rattling the other team’s cage. Or, he has to be a dump-and-chase master, and uses his big body and long reach to forecheck the other team into oblivion.
Rempe has to show that he can be more than a fan favorite. He has to be useful in the time he spends on the ice, which was evident in every year of his career besides the 2025-26 season. Erasing that failure and proving he can still be a wrecking ball on the ice should ensure his long-term placement on this team.
Rempe is a cheap player to have, and is not expected to light the lamp every single night. But, he is part of a dying breed of hockey player, and that position still has a place in many successful hockey teams around the league. He just has to excel at it, or pivot slightly whilst being a positive force on the ice.
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