New York Rangers first-rounder Brennan Othmann has surfaced in trade speculation despite not getting much NHL opportunity to be a pesky attacking winger. How did they get to this situation?
The New York Rangers look firmly in the mushy middle at the moment.
Many of their best players are at least 30, so they aren’t getting much better. The team is acting like they expect to be in the playoffs despite some less-than-favorable results. The only two young pieces that could be considered part of the core are Alexis Lafreniere and Will Cuylle.
This team desperately needs an infusion of youth, but instead of top prospects Scott Morrow, Gabe Perreault or Brennan Othmann making the NHL roster, it was Noah Laba who fought his way onto the team in training camp.
Laba is playing a bottom-six role, which isn’t where you want the more offensively inclined players, but finding a spot in the top nine could have pushed someone down.
It’s a bit of a frustrating spot for the Rangers – and their prospects, especially Othmann.
Perreault has plenty of time, since he's in his first full pro season. Morrow is new to the organization, so he may need to get used to the system. Even Brett Berard is a later-round pick who has pushed for NHL time, but the numbers game squeezes him out.
Every prospect seems to have a reason or excuse for not forcing their way onto the roster, except Othmann.
The 2021 first-round pick was taken 16th overall, and he has flashed some really high-end play at times, going back to his OHL days. He brought the promise of a gritty, high-paced, attacking winger with a strong shot and a knack for setting up teammates.
So, how have we gotten to the point where his name is in trade rumors, and the discussion is around how disappointing he has been rather than the promise he could possess despite still being just 22?
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Othmann spent his draft year in Switzerland playing pro hockey because of the COVID-19 pandemic, which canceled the OHL season. In the Swiss second level, he looked really solid with 16 points in 34 games.
When he returned to the OHL the following year as a Rangers prospect, he put up 50 goals and 97 points in 66 games, helping the Flint Firebirds become a contender.
The following year, the Firebirds traded their captain to the Peterborough Petes, where Othmann wasn’t the main focus of the attack every night. He still put up respectable numbers and remained over a point-per-game player, but he wasn’t the difference-maker he was in Flint. He helped the Petes to an OHL title that year to cap off his junior career.
Jumping into the AHL the following year, Othmann had 49 points in 67 games in what was considered a solid rookie year. He even saw action in three NHL games. He followed that up by splitting time in the AHL and NHL last season, putting up 20 points in 27 games in the minors while struggling to produce with just two assists in 22 games in The Show.
That brings us to today. Back in the AHL, and despite the Rangers struggling to score, he does not seem to be on the radar to get a call-up. Instead, his name is being discussed as a trade chip.
Othmann’s 70 points in 98 AHL games are respectable. Players get NHL opportunities with lesser production.
With the Rangers in a questionable win-now mode, they can’t afford to have players learning and underperforming. Their veterans are already underperforming.
There are a few paths forward for Othmann and the Blueshirts.
A trade is where things are currently trending.
The opportunity hasn’t really been there at the NHL level, and when it has, Othmann hasn’t exactly been put in a position to succeed, often playing deep in the lineup. He's looked at as a potential depth scorer, but he can’t do much scoring when he averages about 10 minutes per game.
The Rangers clearly don’t plan on using him at the moment, so it makes sense that they are looking to shop him in a package for someone they will use right now.
Another option is for Othmann to lean into other aspects of his game that could make him a valuable NHL player. He does bring some unique and interesting non-offensive tools as well.
He has a bit of a mean streak and a willingness to get involved in the after-the-whistle shenanigans. Othmann has skated through defenders at the blueline in an effort to break up a pass and get up ice. He’s taken hits to make plays, and then he’ll pat the player who hit him on the head when the goal gets scored after the pass. He loves the extracurriculars. Othmann can be a pest.
If Othmann can lean into those aspects of his game if or when he gets another shot at the NHL with the Rangers, he could find himself sticking around a bit longer and playing a more important role.
The final – and sadly, least likely – option is that the Rangers give him a legitimate shot in the top nine where he can play with other skilled players. He can bring the brashness and pest traits with him into a role higher in the lineup, but he could also have the chance to use his puck skills. Othmann could become a legitimate depth scorer.
The Rangers have wasted a lot of their young talent as of late. Kaapo Kakko and Vitali Kravtsov didn't last long because of poor development or just not panning out with the Rangers. K’Andre Miller had a down year, and the Rangers seemed to sour on him and move on.
The Rangers don’t have the luxury of wasting more young talent. They need Othmann and other prospects to pan out.
Not giving them enough of an opportunity doesn’t help, but neither has the stagnated development that so many of their prospects seem to face. A trade might be best for both sides as Othmann gets a fresh start and the Rangers get another veteran to chase down a playoff spot.
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