Brennan Othmann skates in top-6 at Rangers practice, Stanley Cup winner joins mix
After a brief audition in the top six over the weekend, it appears Brennan Othmann may get a bigger opportunity with the New York Rangers when they open a three-game California road trip in Los Angeles against the Kings on Tuesday.
Othmann practiced on a line with Vincent Trocheck and Artemi Panarin in L.A. on Monday. That’s a pretty significant step up in responsibility for the rookie forward, who’s been tethered to a bottom-six role largely on the fourth line since he was recalled from Hartford of the American Hockey League before the Feb. 25 game against the Islanders.
The 22-year-old got a taste of skating with the big guns Saturday, when coach Peter Laviolette juggled lines looking for some life when the Rangers started slowly against the Vancouver Canucks. Othmann moved up to play alongside Trocheck and Panarin after he was one of the few notcieable skaters for the Rangers in the first period or two.
Though he didn’t play a lot — just 8:17 TOI — Othmann was a force physically with five hits and picked up his first NHL point, assisting on Adam Fox’s second-period goal that tied the score 1-1. Othmann also created havoc in the Canucks crease when K’Andre Miller scored in the third period to make it 3-2 Rangers.
Simply, Othmann made a difference in the Rangers 5-3 victory and looks like he’ll be rewarded with a larger role Tuesday against the Kings, a team that’s won three straight and eight of nine.
Fighting for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, the Rangers have been cautious with Othmann. He’s averaged just 9:05 TOI in 13 games, topping 10 minutes five times. Most of his minutes have been on the fourth line, where’s he’s been strong on the forecheck, physical and diligent defensively.
But Othmann’s DNA is to be a goal scorer, and he’s played a big offensive role his whole life. The 2021 first-round pick scored 50 goals in 66 OHL games with Flint in 2021-22 and 21 last season as a rookie pro in Hartford, second-most on the team. Despite an injury this season, he had 12 goals in 27 games for Hartford.
No disrespect to Matt Rempe, but Othmann will have more chance to reach his potential offensively skating on a line with Panarin and Trocheck. The former had 49 goals and 120 points last season, and leads the Rangers again this season with 31 goals and 75 points so far. The latter is second on the Rangers with 20 goals and tied for third with 49 points.
As long as Othmann can keep up and get to the net consistently with Panarin and Trocheck, and also prove he can be trusted defensively against other team’s best forwards, this feels like a chance worth taking.
Related: Brennan Othmann among winners from Rangers shocking 5-3 win over Canucks
Sam Carrick doesn’t practice with Rangers due to personal reasons
The rest of the forward lines at practice were as they ended up Saturday. J.T. Miller centered a line with Alexis Lafreniere and Jonny Brodzinski; and Mika Zibanejad was in the middle of Chris Kreider and Will Cuylle.
The fourth line consisted of Rempe, Juuso Parssinen and Brett Berard, who was a healthy scratch Saturday.
Veteran center Sam Carrick didn’t practice due to personal reasons. The 33-year-old, who has six goals and 18 points, has played all 71 games this season.
As such, Nicolas Aube-Kubel was recalled from Hartford. The 2022 Stanley Cup champion with the Colorado Avalanche was acquired by the Rangers from the Buffalo Sabres ahead of the NHL trade deadline March 7 for Hartford defenseman Erik Brannstrom.
Aube-Kubel has 301 games of NHL experience and played for Laviolette in 2022-23 with the Washington Capitals. The 28-year-old had two points (one goal, one assist) in 19 games with the Sabres this season and scored the game-winning goal in overtime for Hartford in a 2-1 win against Milwaukee on Saturday.
Pending the outcome of the game between the Islanders and Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday, the Rangers are ninth in the Eastern Conference, one point behind the Montreal Canadiens for the second wild card.
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