Brennan Othmann’s encouraging preseason debut for New York Rangers

Let it be made perfectly clear that Brennan Othmann will likely not make the New York Rangers roster out of training camp.

This is a veteran team with very few open spots, and it would behoove the Rangers organization to have Othmann play in a bottom six (likely fourth line) role.

With that being said, Othmann’s first pre-season match on Tuesday night against the New York Islanders was extremely encouraging.

The former 16th overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft did not look out of place in the slightest.

Let’s take a look at some of the positive’s from Othmann’s first preseason game.

Strong play

Othmann played 16:22 time on ice (TOI), recording one shot on goal in the game. He was aggressive, and decisive, and never stopped moving his feet.

The 20-year-old even got involved in the physical play, which is an underrated element to his game. Here is his hit on Islanders defenseman Sebastian Aho in the first period:

Othmann was given a penalty on the play, which is something that will need to be monitored for the youngster.

Playing on the edge is a good thing, but it can become difficult for players to learn how to walk the line, especially those on the younger side.

Another standout of Othmann’s game on Tuesday night was his passing. Drafted as a natural shooter, Othmann displayed an impressive ability to distribute the puck in a quick and effective manner.

He didn’t hold the puck for too long; he looked at his options prior to receiving the puck to ensure he had a play to make.

Othmann also impressed on the defensive side of the puck. He hustled to retrieve the puck as soon as the Rangers relinquished possession, he backchecked, he regularly looked over his shoulder to mark his man and account for oncoming attackers.

Should he continue to play like that in the preseason games to come, as well as in his first pro season down in the AHL with the Hartford Wolf Pack, Othmann will give plenty for the Rangers organization to consider.

The negatives

There were very few aspects to nitpick from in Othmann’s performance. The one negative that could possibly be taken away from his game was his hesitancy to shoot.

He finished with just one shot on goal, which for a player advertised as a shooter and goal scorer, firing one puck on net isn’t enough.

The young native of Scarborough, Ontario finished the 2022-23 season with 29 goals in 56 games in the OHL with the Flint Firebirds and Peterborough Petes (67 points total).

In 2021-22, Othmann scored 50 goals in just 66 games with Flint. The kid is a pure goal scorer, which means he needs to pull the trigger when the puck is on his stick.

Othmann referenced his need to shoot more in his post-game press conference:

“I think I’ve got to shoot the puck a little bit more,” Othmann said postgame. “I think for me, it’s just, I gotta get rid of the junior habits. That’s what training camp is for.”

It is also a symptom of this Rangers team to excessively pass the puck, and there is a common reluctance to shoot. Othmann’s presence would surely assist with that whenever he makes the lineup, so long as he sticks to his game. Should he continue to play as he did on Tuesday night, Rangers fans should expect to see Othmann at some point this season, even if it’s not out of the gate.