Brennan Othmann makes his mark in return to the Hartford Wolf Pack

Brennan Othmann was once again assigned to the Hartford Wolf Pack, and his latest stint with the New York Rangers was one of the shorter ones in recent memories. The Blueshirts' former top prospect served as a healthy body in the event a player was sick or injured, and that role is now going to be filled by Jaroslav Chmelar with Adam Edstrom still unavailable. It's been a disappointing year for Othmann, but there is something that fans can cheer about despite the recent news.

Othmann lights the lamp in return to Wolf Pack lineup

Hartford's three-game winning streak was snapped on Saturday evening, and they were defeated 6-2 by the Bridgeport Islanders. Othmann picked up a goal in the loss, one which came on the Wolf Pack's power play.

The goal was Othmann's second of the season, and his eighth overall point of the season in 16 games played. Last season Othmann appeared in 27 games for Hartford and he posted a line of 12-8-20. He's well off the pace of last season, and his fall from grace has been tough to watch. He had an impressive rookie campaign with 21 goals and 49 points in 67 games, but since that point he's had bad luck with injuries while also playing inconsistently.

Othmann's future in the NHL is a great unknown, but if it does somehow materialize, it is not going to be in New York. At this point both sides have to be hoping that things well in Hartford to the point where his trade value increases so that another team acquires him and offers Othmann a fresh start. Scoring in the first game of his return was a good start. Now Othmann needs to continue it, and just take things game by game. If he can do that, maybe he'll get his wish.

Chmelar gets new NHL opportunity

Chmelar has already appeared in two NHL games with the Rangers, and he could potentially draw back into the lineup. He spent 19 games with the Wolf Pack and scored three goals while adding eight assists for 11 points. His points per game average of 0.58 is up from 0.41 last season (12-17-29 in 71 games) and the 22-year-old winger is showing some signs of development. Expectations have never been high for Chmelar, as he was selected 144th overall in the 2021 draft. He only appeared in 59 NCAA games at Providence, and put up a line of 12-16-28. He's back with the team because it didn't make sense for Othmann to continue sitting on the sidelines, and the recall is a reward for his hard work in Hartford.