Rangers’ Matt Rempe to have another procedure on thumb, will be placed on IR

One of the biggest players the game has ever seen is going to be out of action for a little bit.

According to Mollie Walker of The New York Post, New York Rangers forward Matt Rempe will have another procedure on his left thumb. The tough guy is expected to be placed on injured reserve.

The team has yet to give a timeline for Rempe’s absence.

Rempe suffered the injury back on Oct. 23 when he was involved in a fight with San Jose Sharks forward Ryan Reaves. Rempe went on to miss the next 24 games, sitting out the entire month of November, due to the ailment. Upon his return in mid-December, the 23-year-old revealed that he broke his thumb in the fight and underwent surgery.

Last month, Rempe was listed as a healthy scratch seven times, though some speculate that it was due to ongoing problems with his thumb.

The 6-foot-9 winger has appeared in just 26 games this year, scoring just one goal. That goal came back on Oct. 11 against the Pittsburgh Penguins. He has 11 penalty minutes and a plus/minus of -4 while averaging just 8:36 of ice time.

This is Rempe’s third season with the Rangers. He has yet to play a full campaign with the big club, having also spent time with the Blueshirts’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack.

Rempe is in the first season of a two-year contract extension that he signed this past June. The deal carries an AAV of $975,000 through the 2026-27 campaign.

In 65 career NHL games, the Calgary native has scored five goals and six assists for 11 points, with 149 penalty minutes.

The Rangers (22-29-6) are last in the Eastern Conference, 19 points back of a Wild Card spot. The team returns to action next Thursday against the rival Philadelphia Flyers.