CALGARY, Alberta — All indicators level to Brennan Othmann making his season debut with the Rangers on Sunday night time in opposition to the Flames.
It’s a chief alternative for the 22-year-old wing, who was reduce from Rangers coaching camp sooner than years previous and despatched to AHL Hartford following a subpar preseason efficiency. Regardless of that, Othmann was nonetheless the primary ahead prospect recalled with Matt Rempe unable to make the highway journey because of an upper-body damage.
“It’s undoubtedly a bit of disappointing, wasn’t actually anticipating it to be trustworthy,” Othmann mentioned of his early demotion Saturday after observe on the Scotiabank Saddledome. “You type of simply take that and you continue to use that as motivation. Nonetheless a younger participant and nonetheless a participant that has received some potential. I’m nonetheless proud of my recreation and proud of the place I’m at. Clearly, there’s nonetheless extra that I can do and extra that may be accomplished.
“Simply transfer ahead every day and take what I’m advised and use that in video games, practices, additional work within the health club, outdoors of the health club. Sort of simply use that in every day life as motivation in a way.”
Over 4 years into Othmann’s tenure within the Rangers system, each side are nonetheless making an attempt to determine if it’s an excellent match.
This could possibly be a make-or-break second for Othmann because it pertains to his future with the membership.
There have been conversations between Othmann and “totally different individuals within the group,” he mentioned, about easy methods to get again as much as the NHL stage as rapidly as he might.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reported earlier this month that the No. 16 decide within the 2021 draft was drawing curiosity across the NHL.
There seems to be rising perception {that a} change of surroundings could be useful for Othmann, who hasn’t been in a position to acquire any type of traction in his recreation on the NHL stage by means of the 25 complete video games he’s performed over the earlier two seasons.
“I can’t actually focus actually on that stuff,” he mentioned of the commerce rumors. “That stuff’s actually all on-line. I don’t know what’s true. I don’t know what’s false. I’ve simply been tremendous targeted with Hartford and making an attempt to get again up right here. It’s no secret, a few the blokes in Hartford had been asking me and telling me about it. However I actually was simply taking part in hockey and taking every day, daily, and hold transferring ahead and specializing in getting again right here and taking part in on the NHL stage sooner or later this yr. I feel I did an excellent job with it and simply going to maintain transferring ahead.”
Othmann received the decision from Rangers assistant basic supervisor Ryan Martin as he was moving into mattress Thursday night time. Realizing it was going to be an extended journey, the Ontario native mentioned he began to pack that night time earlier than he left to catch the group’s constitution at 1 p.m. on Friday.
Lining up on the precise wing of the Rangers third line in observe on Saturday, Othmann is projected to skate alongside Noah Laba and Will Cuylle on Sunday. He additionally took reps on the Rangers second power-play unit subsequent to Cuylle, Braden Schneider, Conor Sheary and Taylor Raddysh.
It hasn’t been the strongest of begins for the 1-4 Wolf Pack as a complete. On the time of his recall, Othmann had only one help by means of 4 video games.
This call-up, nonetheless, carries a bit of extra that means to it than simply efficiency primarily based. It’s as much as Othmann to benefit from it.
“I feel we’re in search of guys to step in and assist us win video games,” head coach Mike Sullivan mentioned. “Whether or not it’s serving to us offensively or being diligent defensively. Otter and I’ve had plenty of conversations since earlier than coaching camp began to the place we’re proper now and what the expectations are and the way we predict he might doubtlessly carve a task on this group. I feel he has an offensive aspect to him. I feel that his alternative is simply in his consideration to element with respect to play away from the puck and simply reliability and realizing your job and doing all your job.
“That’s an necessary aspect, I feel, in making the bounce from the American League to the Nationwide League. He’s going to get a possibility right here and we’ll see the way it goes.”
