Rangers' Matt Rempe craves to drop the gloves against NHL veteran with 17 years experience

New York Rangers forward Matt Rempe isn't afraid to fight anyone. Last season, he fought five times in just 17 games. He has gone toe to toe against tough players like Ryan Reaves and Kurtis MacDermid.

Rempe was asked during an autograph session who he’d most like to fight. He quickly named Milan Lucic, a veteran of 17 NHL seasons.

Lucic has a long history of fighting, with 139 fights in his NHL career. He had his first fight against Nick Tarnasky in 2007 and has fought players like Kurtis MacDermid, Mathieu Olivier, Ian Cole and Mark Borowiecki. He also fought Givani Smith, Nicolas Deslauriers and Scott Sabourin in 2022.

Nicolas Deslauriers has already had a tough fight with Matt Rempe. So chances of Rempe fighting Milan Lucic could be daunting for him.

But there's a hindrance to this possibility. Lucic’s NHL future is uncertain due to off-ice challenges. Lucic was arrested for assault and battery in November, but the charges were dropped after his wife refused to testify. His contract with the Boston Bruins ended on Jun. 30, and he is currently a UFA. He can't return to the NHL without approval from Gary Bettman.

So, a fight between Rempe and Lucic will only be possible if he gets NHL clearance. However, Lucic is training in New Jersey despite the uncertainties, hoping to continue his career.

Rangers' Matt Rempe's dedication and grit is admirable

Matt Rempe quickly made a name for himself with the New York Rangers after he joined in February. In his first five games, he had three fights. One of these was against Mathieu Olivier of the Columbus Blue Jackets. Rempe lost that fight but earned Olivier's respect for his bravery.

Adam Fantilli mentioned on the "Drop the Gloves" podcast that Rempe fought twice in a short span, which is rare in the NHL.

"'Olly’ is one of the scariest human beings when he’s p*ssed off I’ve ever seen. He definitely got the best of Rempe in that fight. But he had so much respect for Rempe for actually going and dropping them two nights in a row," Fantilli said.

Olivier had also praised Rempe for his courage and toughness. Rempe reduced his fighting for the rest of the season to stay healthy. However, he is expected to be the Rangers' main enforcer in the upcoming year.