Rangers Roundup: Brennan Othmann and Matthew Robertson
The latest New York Rangers news looks at top prospects Brennan Othmann and Matthew Robertson.
Let’s check in on the Blueshirts’ buzz.
Rangers prospect Brennan Othmann
Highly touted Rangers prospect Brennan Othmann was a surprise add to the Peterborough Petes training camp roster on Monday.
The 20 year-old winger scored 29 goals and 38 assists for 67 points in 56 matches split between the Flint Firebirds and Petes last season. In the playoffs, he led the Petes to an OHL title with 8 goals and 17 assists for 25 points in 23 playoff games but fell short of winning the Memorial Cup.
Although he’s listed on the Petes training camp roster, Othmann is still expected to play pro next season with the Hartford Wolf Pack on the first line and top power play unit.
Othmann is projected to be a top-six winger in the NHL but the Rangers roster seems fairly set for the 2023-34 campaign. Barring any trades, it’s hard to see where Othmann fits in the lineup. That being said, he could have a stellar camp and get some early playing time to start the year.
Othmann has three-years left on his ELC with an AAV of $863,333 via PuckPedia.
Per the Petes website:
Rosters for the three scrimmage teams will be released on Tuesday, August 29. A full media kit will be available on the Petes website ahead of the scrimmages beginning Wednesday morning.
Big season for Matthew Robertson
When the Rangers drafted Robertson during the second round of the 2019 draft, they likely expected the now 22 year-old to be pushing for a full-time roster spot.
At 6-4 and 201 lbs, he certainly has the size to play in the league but has yet to impress enough to get the opportunity. Last season, he had 23 points in 57 games with the Wolf Pack. A campaign that was unfortunately cut short by injury as he missed the entirety of the Pack’s Calder Cup playoff run.
Coming into the 2023-24 campaign, this is a pivotal year for Robertson with the Rangers organization. He’s due to be a restricted free agent next summer, and needs to make some serious strides starting immediately when training camp opens next month.
In a recent article by Allan Mitchell for The Athletic, he identified Robertson as the Rangers best “under-the-radar” option for next season. He correctly notes that time is running out on the prospect and the organization needs to give him a long look at camp in order to begin forming an opinion on his future.
Robertson is a two-way defenseman that prides himself on moving the puck and making that all important outlet pass. In his final WHL season, he won the Central Division’s Defenseman of the Year in 2020-21 with a +26. which was tops in the entire league.
Despite being considered an offensive threat while playing junior hockey for the WHL’s Edmonton Oil Kings, he’s struggled to produce at the pro level. Mitchell notes that Robertson sported the second worst even-strength goal share in Hartford last year. While he needs to be more productive, elevating his defensive play gives him the best chance to get recognized.
The organization probably would love a Robertson and Branden Schneider pairing for the foreseeable future. However, that will depend in large part on how the former performs this season.
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