James Guillory-Imagn ImagesBrennan Othmann’s opportunity to prove himself is right now.
The New York Rangers not only called up Othmann on Sunday from the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League, but are putting him in a prominent position to succeed.
During Monday’s practice ahead of their matchup against the Seattle Kraken, Othmann slotted onto the third line alongside Alexis Lafrenière and Noah Laba, while he also took reps on the second power-play unit.
This is certainly a shake-up compared to how Mike Sullivan utilized Othmann in the past, as in his six previous games this season with the Rangers, he has primarily played in a fourth-line role, indicative of his 8:10 minutes per game.
The Rangers brought the 23-year-old forward in at the heels of their 10-2 loss to the Boston Bruins on Saturday afternoon, with Sullivan looking for a jolt of energy.
“He's played very well as of late down in Hartford,” Sullivan said of Othmann. “We're hoping he can bring some energy, give us some juice. … We're looking for players to earn their way onto the roster. If they can make an impact, they get a chance to play.”
Prior to being called up, Othmann was playing some of his best hockey of the 2025-26 campaign, riding a 5-game point streak that ended on Saturday night, which ultimately helped him earn a spot back in the NHL.
We’ve been through this rodeo plenty of times before. Othmann has been recalled on numerous occasions dating back to last season, but each stint with the Blueshirts seems to end in the same way; getting sent back down to the AHL.
Playing in an expanded role and with the Rangers in a perplexing state, desperate for any sort of spark, this is Othmann’s chance to seize this opportunity, whether that means carving out a permanent role in New York or building enough value to where he could be traded elsewhere and start fresh.
Once again, there’s a lot at stake for Othmann, and we’ll see if he’s able to flip the narrative about himself.