1. Othmann played along just one game against Calgary before being scratched for the rest of the road trip. He played 12:31 on a line with Noah Laba and Will Cuylle and was on the ice for one goal for and two against. He was on the ice for 11 shot attempts (3 high danger) for and 18 against (2 HD), resulting in 4 SOG for and 5 against. Overall the numbers weren’t too bad, especially in terms of quality, but his line was routinely pinned despite never starting a shift in the defensive zone. On the surface the numbers weren’t that bad, but the Rangers were caught off guard.
2. What doesn’t help (for Brennan Othmann) is the Rangers’ three-game win streak after he was removed from the lineup after one game. The Rangers may have rough games here and there, and there will certainly be more to start the season. But with the Rangers winning the last three games and playing well, re-signing Brennan Othmann was never a realistic possibility. He was the extra body on the road trip that we all knew would be brought back to Hartford as soon as they got back.
3. The problem with Othmann’s play in Calgary was less about the numbers and more about his passive play. He only had two shot attempts all match, missing excellent opportunities to let his great shot rip. Cuylle and Laba did the work to give him space, and he simply left himself to others. That might be the biggest problem with how he looked in Calgary. He was passive and unwilling to show his one elite skill, his shot.
In the preseason, Othmann couldn’t find separation to make his shot. In Calgary he got the divorce, but just missed the mark. That’s always a problem.
4. The Brennan Othmann trade rumors will only become more prevalent with this recent demotion. The “rumored asking price” is an AHL talent of equivalent level, but that doesn’t really pass the sniff test. That has everything to do with a new GM leaking something to bring down costs. Even if Othmann’s trade value isn’t that high, it’s clear the Rangers want to dangle him to get a win now piece. No more AHL depth. Othmann could be a sweetener to land a legitimate top-four left defender. Or maybe he could single-handedly land a low event 3LD on the younger side.
Any hopes of using him to acquire a bigger splash player have likely been dashed by his lone gamer and demotion.
5. In terms of specific trade targets the Rangers could potentially land in a 1-for-1 trade involving Brennan Othmann, or at least without other key pieces involved, you’ll probably be disappointed. Maybe San Jose and Shakir Mukhamadullin? He’s in a similar spot with the Sharks — minimal NHL time despite aging as a prospect — and can’t find a steady role with them. Mike Grier and Chris Drury are clearly friends. To be honest, that was the only player I could find.
It will be difficult to move Brennan Othmann without tying him to a bigger trade.
6. There is of course still a chance that Othmann remains in the organization. This recent hiccup could be the final wake-up call, or maybe he just needed time to learn how to play within Mike Sullivan’s system (AHL can use the same systems as their NHL counterparts to keep things running seamlessly). Or maybe this is just a whiff of a mid-teens pick in a 2021 draft full of mediocrity. That included the Covid draft, which made scouting virtually impossible. Only Wyatt Johnston “made it” from the bottom two-thirds of that first round.
As a side note, that 2021 draft was brutal for the Rangers. Only the recently recalled Jaroslav Chmelar and Brody Lamb have any hope of making it to the NHL. The odds are stacked against them at the 5th and 4th rounds respectively. Although they have high ceilings.
7. This isn’t a case of the Rangers rushing Brennan Othmann’s development or mishandling him. He just hasn’t shown he can stay at the NHL level. Some children are late bloomers. Hopefully that is also the case with Othmann. The question is: how long can the Rangers wait?
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