"It'll be a short career" - NHL analyst critical of Matt Rempe after Rangers rookie picks up fourth fight in five games

New York Rangers rookie Matt Rempe was in a physical encounter with Columbus Blue Jackets' Mathieu Olivier. The crowd in Columbus erupted as the two stood toe-to-toe in a fiery exchange. The altercation happened a day after Rempe traded blows with Philadelphia Flyers veteran Nicolas Deslauriers.

The 21-year-old rookie has quickly earned a reputation for his aggressive style of play. His latest altercation marks his fourth fight in just five games since joining the NHL.

The aftermath of the brawl saw Rempe bleeding from his nose, prompting him to head straight to the locker room for a medical evaluation. The physical toll of these frequent fights draws concern, particularly from NHL analyst Mark Spector.

Spector took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his disapproval:

"This kid shouldn’t be doing this every day. Someone in the Rangers org needs to take better care of this young man. He does not always have to say yes. It’ll be a short career if he does."

Blue Jackets proved fatal for Matt Rempe and the Rangers

The New York Rangers recently lost to the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-2, which ended their impressive 10-game win streak. Both teams traded goals in the first period, but Columbus seized control in the second, securing the win.

Matt Rempe contributed an assist during the game and spent five penalty minutes on the ice. Additionally, he registered a shot on goal during his 4 minutes and 58 seconds of ice time.

Jack Roslovic's tiebreaking goal in the second period proved decisive. Dmitri Voronkov and Kirill Marchenko contributed goals for Columbus. Johnny Gaudreau recorded two assists, and Elvis Merzlikins made 38 saves.

“They came at us with a lot of speed," Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said. "They’d get behind us with odd-man rushes. It wasn’t one or two — it was too many — and we couldn’t capitalize at the other end. That was the difference in the game.”

Rangers' Artemi Panarin and Adam Edstrom scored, with Jonathan Quick stopping 37 shots. Despite the loss, the Rangers still lead the Metropolitan Division with 81 points.