CALGARY, Alberta — All signs point to Brennan Othmann making his season debut with the Rangers on Sunday night against the Flames.
It’s a prime opportunity for the 22-year-old wing, who was cut from Rangers training camp earlier than years past and sent to AHL Hartford following a subpar preseason performance. Despite that, Othmann was still the first forward prospect recalled with Matt Rempe unable to make the road trip due to an upper-body injury.
“It’s definitely a little disappointing, wasn’t really expecting it to be honest,” Othmann said of his early demotion Saturday after practice at the Scotiabank Saddledome. “You kind of just take that and you still use that as motivation. Still a young player and still a player that has got some potential. I’m still happy with my game and happy with where I’m at. Obviously, there’s still more that I can do and more that can be done.
“Just move forward each day and take what I’m told and use that in games, practices, extra work in the gym, outside of the gym. Kind of just use that in daily life as motivation in a sense.”
Over four years into Othmann’s tenure in the Rangers system, both sides are still trying to figure out if it’s a good fit.
This could be a make-or-break moment for Othmann as it pertains to his future with the club.
There were conversations between Othmann and “different people in the organization,” he said, about how to get back up to the NHL level as quickly as he could.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported earlier this month that the No. 16 pick in the 2021 draft was drawing interest around the NHL.
There appears to be growing belief that a change of scenery would be beneficial for Othmann, who hasn’t been able to gain any sort of traction in his game at the NHL level through the 25 total games he’s played over the previous two seasons.
“I can’t really focus really on that stuff,” he said of the trade rumors. “That stuff’s really all online. I don’t know what’s true. I don’t know what’s false. I’ve just been super focused with Hartford and trying to get back up here. It’s no secret, a couple of the guys in Hartford were asking me and telling me about it. But I honestly was just playing hockey and taking each day, day by day, and keep moving forward and focusing on getting back here and playing at the NHL level at some point this year. I think I did a good job with it and just going to keep moving forward.”
Othmann got the call from Rangers assistant general manager Ryan Martin as he was getting into bed Thursday night. Realizing it was going to be a longer trip, the Ontario native said he started to pack that night before he left to catch the team’s charter at 1 p.m. on Friday.
Lining up on the right wing of the Rangers third line in practice on Saturday, Othmann is projected to skate alongside Noah Laba and Will Cuylle on Sunday. He also took reps on the Rangers second power-play unit next to Cuylle, Braden Schneider, Conor Sheary and Taylor Raddysh.
It hasn’t been the strongest of starts for the 1-4 Wolf Pack as a whole. At the time of his recall, Othmann had just one assist through four games.
This call-up, however, carries a little more meaning to it than just performance based. It’s up to Othmann to make the most of it.
“I think we’re looking for guys to step in and help us win games,” head coach Mike Sullivan said. “Whether it be helping us offensively or being diligent defensively. Otter and I have had a number of conversations since before training camp started to where we are right now and what the expectations are and how we think he could potentially carve a role on this team. I think he has an offensive side to him. I think that his opportunity is just in his attention to detail with respect to play away from the puck and just reliability and knowing your job and doing your job.
“That’s an important element, I think, in making the jump from the American League to the National League. He’s going to get an opportunity here and we’ll see how it goes.”
