Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images
New York Rangers’ president and general manager Chris Drury’s Jan. 16 letter to fans outlining the team’s plan to retool may have been detrimental to the veteran players, but it provides and opportunity for some young prospects.
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That includes Brennan Othmann, who sees this shift in philosophy from the Rangers organization as a chance to prove himself.
“I guess in a sense, yeah, a little bit,” Othmann said about whether he sees Drury’s letter as an opportunity. “You’re still trying to earn, and you’re still trying to build a little bit of trust from the coaching staff. I’m still trying to build trust. I’m still trying to learn.”
After getting sent up and down a couple of times to kick off the 2025-26 campaign, Othmann has been able to carve out a more permanent role in the lineup, playing in 10 consecutive games since his most recent call-up.
Going into training camp, Othmann proclaimed that he felt more confident after a frustrating 2024-25 season, during which he failed to score a goal in 22 games for the Rangers.
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That newfound confidence took a tumble, as Othmann didn’t make the Rangers’ opening night roster and struggled in the American Hockey League with the Hartford Wolf Pack out of the gate.
Following a stretch where the 23-year-old forward went on a five-game point streak down in Hartford, the Rangers brought him back up on Jan. 11, and he’s been with the team ever since.
“Confidence comes and goes, I think, but I’m just happy to be playing,” Othmann said. “I’m happy to be in the lineup. I’m happy to be with the organization, with these guys on the team, and learn every day.”
The thing weighing on Othmann’s mind and hindering his confidence was the fact that he hadn’t scored in the NHL.
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That changed on Jan. 17 when Othmann recorded his first NHL goal during the Rangers’ 6-3 win over the Philadelphia Flyers.
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“It took a decent amount of games to get that one, so it feels good to kind of get that one off my chest,” Othmann said of his first NHL goal. “It’s kind of a weight lifted off your shoulders a little bit in a sense. I was happy to get that one out of the way and move on now and hopefully get a few more by the end of the year.”
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Othmann has mostly been playing in a third-line role over these past ten games while also slotting onto the second power-play unit.
Given the Rangers’ current last-place spot in the Eastern Conference standings and intentions to retool the roster with their sights set on the future, Othmann should continue to see more opportunity through the latter half of this season, as it’s truly his time to prove himself at the NHL level.
