Rangers’ Chris Kreider out with upper-body injury; Matt Rempe recalled

The New York Rangers lineup will have a different look Monday versus the St. Louis Blues as veteran left-wing Chris Kreider is sidelined with an upper-body injury.

Per Vince Mercogliano of USA Today, Kreider’s injury time frame is considered day-to-day. In a corresponding roster move, the Rangers have recalled center Matt Rempe from the minor-league affiliate Hartford Wolf Pack.

Kreider appeared to suffer the injury in Saturday’s 6-2 loss to the Edmonton Oilers. On the season, Kreider has been one of the Rangers’ most important goal scorers, with nine tallies through 19 appearances. Kreider has yet to record an assist in 2024-25.

The 33-year-old Massachusetts native is coming off his second-most productive season with the Rangers where through 82 appearances in 2023-24 he registered 39 goals and 36 assists for 75 points, only two points shy of the career-best 77-point finish he posted in 2021-22.

Originally chosen 19th overall in the 2009 NHL Draft, Kreider has spent his entire career with the Rangers, in which he has collected 313 goals and 248 assists for 561 points through 834 career contests. He has also added 76 points through 123 playoff appearances.

As for Rempe, the sizable forward began the season with the Rangers, but only made three appearances, in which he did not register a point but recorded five penalty minutes. Monday’s transaction marks the third time this season that Rempe has been recalled from the Wolf Pack. Through 10 games with the AHL squad this season, Rempe has scored one goal and added two assists.

A 2020 sixth-round selection by the Rangers, Rempe made his debut with the club last season and made headlines as through only 17 outings he racked up 71 penalty minutes, alongside a pair of points. Last March, Rempe received a four-game suspension after elbowing New Jersey Devils defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler.

After dropping their last two games, the Rangers will look to return to the win column Monday versus St. Louis. The Rangers sit fourth place in the Metropolitan Division with a 12-6-1 record and 25 points.