ANAHEIM, Calif. – As if there wasn’t enough on his mind back in late October, when he was recalled for the first time this season, Brennan Othmann also had to answer questions about the reports that were circulating at the time that the Rangers were actively trying to trade him.
It was a lot to deal with for the former first-round pick, who was in his third year of professional hockey, and had yet to break into the Rangers’ lineup consistently. He didn’t hide the fact that he was bothered by having played 25 NHL games and had not scored a goal, and clearly he was feeling pressure to score. So when he failed to make the Rangers in training camp and was sent down to AHL Hartford, it seemed reasonable that the organization might want to move on from him. And it seemed maybe he needed a fresh start somewhere else.
But on Saturday, Othmann, back with the Rangers on his third recall this season, scored his first NHL goal in the Blueshirts’ 6-3 win over the Flyers in Philadelphia. And with as much weight as that goal seemed to lift off his shoulders, it was suggested to Othmann on Sunday, as the Rangers practiced at Honda Center to prepare for Monday’s game against Chris Kreider, Jacob Trouba and the Anaheim Ducks, that perhaps he didn’t need to be traded to get that fresh start. Maybe that goal could be the thing he needed to change everything around.
“Yeah, maybe that was the fresh start,’’ he said with a slight chuckle. “Maybe that’s fresh start of my career really taking off. I don’t know. I don’t know what’s gonna happen going forward. But I just want to play hockey. I want to be able to make an impact on the game, wherever I am. I want to be able to contribute. I want to be able to play in this league.’’
Coach Mike Sullivan, who is in his first season with the Rangers, has seen Othmann play in one preseason and nine regular season games. But he has said he believes the 23-year-old Pickering, Ontario native is good enough to play in the NHL. In this most recent recall, Sullivan said, he’s seen some improvement in Othmann.
“I think he’s made a lot of progress, just as far as understanding what his identity should look like to give himself a chance to play in the NHL,’’ Sullivan said. “I think just the importance of paying attention to detail away from the puck, whether it’s off faceoffs, or defensive zone coverage or rush coverage rules when he’s tracking back into our end zone. Knowing your job and doing your job. We’re trying to build a team game, and it takes a certain amount of reliability and predictability in order to do that, and a lot of that revolves around details. And I think ‘Otter’ is making strides there.’’
Reportedly, there hasn’t been much interest around the league from other teams in Othmann, who is in the final year of his entry level contract and will be a restricted free agent this summer. But with the Rangers having announced Friday that they will be undergoing a “retool,’’ and will be looking to strategically trade away some players to reshape the roster, Othmann looks to have an opportunity over the last 33 games of the Rangers’ season to audition for for the rest of the league.
If Saturday’s goal lifts his game, and he plays well the rest of the season, maybe some other team will decide he is worth trading for. But the possibility also exists that if he shows he can be the gritty, third-line winger Sullivan seems to think he can be, maybe the Rangers could change their minds and keep him.
Othmann admitted that since his name first surfaced in trade rumors, he does think about whether he will get the chance to become a full-time NHL player for the Rangers.
“Occasionally you wonder if you’re gonna be here any longer, or if you’re here for the rest of the year,’’ he said. “You don’t really know. And I guess you kind of just take every day, each day by day, and you kind of be patient, and you see what happens. You don’t really know what tomorrow’s gonna bring, regardless. Right now, I’m here, I’m in the NHL, and playing, and playing well. So I just want to keep doing that.’’
Notes & quotes:
Goalie Spencer Martin got the start against Anaheim, meaning Jonathan Quick will start Tuesday in Los Angeles against the Kings, his former team. “I think Quickie deserves that,’’ Sullivan said… D Carson Soucy, who missed Saturday’s game due to personal reasons, rejoined the team and took part in the optional morning skate, but was not in the lineup against Anaheim… Sullivan spoke to Artemi Panarin after he was informed by GM Chris Drury that the Rangers won’t re-sign him and will try to trade him. “I think Artemi’s a great person. He’s a great pro. He understands it. He’s going to compete extremely hard for us and help us win,’’ Sullivan said. “It boils down to, I think, big picture decision making, and, I think this is obviously a discussion that probably predated me joining this group.’’
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.