On Sunday, the Rangers recalled former first-round pick Brennan Othmann from AHL Hartford for the third time this season. The just-turned 23-year-old (Jan. 5) had scored twice, and had two assists in four games since the Rangers sent him back to Hartford on New Year’s Day.
So what do the Rangers hope to see from Othmann in this latest recall?
“Well, we’re hoping he can give us some juice,’’ coach Mike Sullivan said at the Rangers’ morning skate in Greenburgh, before they hosted Kaapo Kakko, Ryan Lindgren and the Seattle Kraken Monday at Madison Square Garden. “He’s played very well as of late down in Hartford. We’re hoping he can bring some energy, give us some juice. And obviously, we’re looking for players to earn their way onto the roster. If they can make an impact, they’ll get a chance to play.’’
Of course, with it having been reported earlier this season that the Rangers were trying to trade Othmann, calling him up with 15 games to go before the trade deadline (he was skating on the third line, with Noah Laba and Alexis Lafreniere Monday) had the feel of trying to showcase the 16th overall pick in 2021 to other teams.
That aside, though, with where they are at this point in the season – 20-20-6 and losers of three straight entering Monday; still without the injured Igor Shesterkin and Adam Fox, and more than a long shot to make the playoffs – it makes sense for the Rangers to give the young guys a real opportunity to play in some (still) meaningful games.
Gabe Perreault, the 2023 first round pick who is currently considered the top prospect in the organization, started the season with Hartford, but played well there and is in his second recall to the parent club this season. Sullivan said last week he thought Perreault “is starting to figure it out’’ at the NHL level, where he had one goal, four assists in 13 games entering Monday.
“It’s experiential learning,’’ Sullivan had said Friday of Perreault, who played Monday on a line with Vincent Trocheck and J.T. Miller. “One of his best attributes is his hockey IQ. And so he’s trying to figure out how to have success in a league where the players are bigger, stronger, faster. And that’s his challenge.
“How do you win puck battles on the wall when you’re playing against a guy that’s bigger and stronger than you, for example? How do you create separation, to be able to have the time and the space to make a play? When to hang onto a puck and when to cut your losses and just chip a puck to space? These are all things that I think experience is the best teacher.’’
The thing is, the Rangers are still trying to win games at this point, still trying to find some way to defy the odds and steal a spot in the playoff field. And so, while they do need to give their younger players much-needed opportunity and experience, they do need them to produce.
Third-year forward Will Cuylle was expected to take a step up after being one of last season’s few bright spots, with 20 goals and 45 points. But he entered Monday slightly behind that pace, with 10 goals and 13 assists in 46 games, which projects to 18 goals, 41 points over 82 games. And he had no points in his previous seven games, despite playing the last five of those on the top line, with Artemi Panarin and Mika Zibanejad, who’ve both been hot.
“I feel like we can all chip in a bit more,’’ he said, and assessed his season as having had “ups and downs, just like every year.’’
“I don’t try to look at the year as a whole too much,’’ he said. “I try to just focus on one game at a time, and one shift at a time. I think there’s definitely been some good, some positives, and there’s definitely been some areas that need improvement.’’
Notes & quotes: Sullivan admitted that dropping Lafreniere, who entered Monday with nine goals and 15 assists, to the third line, was, at least in part, “performance-based. We need more out of some guys,’’ Sullivan said. “I think Laf’s a guy that can bring more to the table for us.’’ … D Urho Vaakanainen and RW Matt Rempe were scratched. Sullivan was asked if scratching Rempe was based on performance, or because he was still not fully healthy after coming back from a broken left thumb. “It’s a little bit of both,’’ Sullivan said. “He’s not completely healed, and that’s just the reality. When he’s at his very best, he makes an impact on the game.’’
Colin Stephenson covers the Rangers for Newsday. He has spent more than two decades covering the NHL and just about every sports team in the New York metropolitan area.