A day following the 6-1 drubbing to the Hurricanes that closed their lead in the Metropolitan Division to five points, the Rangers recalled Brennan Othmann from Hartford.

The 20-year-old Rangers’ top prospect will make his NHL debut on Thursday night against the Blackhawks and former Canadian teammate Connor Bedard at Madison Square Garden. After teaming up with Bedard to win the gold medal at the 2023 World Junior Championships for Canada, Othmann will face the Blackhawks’ young star tomorrow. Bedard leads all rookies in scoring with 15 goals and 18 assists for 33 points.

A former Rangers’ 2021 first round pick that they selected number 16, Othmann will get an early start to celebrating his birthday. He turns 21 on Friday, Jan. 5. Playing for the Wolf Pack in the American Hockey League (AHL), Othmann has nine goals with 14 assists for a total of 23 points in 28 games in his first pro season.

After opening eyes with a good training camp that included him scoring a couple of goals during the preseason, Othmann was sent to Hartford to get valuable experience. That allowed him to play a more defined role with the Wolf Pack. Due to the Rangers’ depth at the start of the season, he wouldn’t have been afforded that opportunity. It was a wise decision to help further develop him.

Pitlick Injury Gives Othmann a Chance

The reason Othmann was called up is due to Tyler Pitlick suffering a lower-body injury on Tuesday night against the Hurricanes. He’s listed as week-to-week.

With Pitlick sidelined, that necessitated the Rangers’ move to bring up Othmann. While it’s a bit sooner than expected, it’s a chance for him to show what he can do. It’s a big step for the young forward. If he can step in and contribute, that could provide a boost to the Rangers, who don’t boast much secondary scoring.

Aside from Will Cuylle and veteran Jimmy Vesey, each having seven goals apiece, the reminder of the bottom six has a combined 3 goals. That excludes the injured Pitlick, who had one before headed to the injury list.

Given the combination of skating, skill, and grit he possesses, Othmann can bring a much needed spark to the Rangers. It’ll be interesting to see how coach Peter Laviolette decides to utilize him. A better option for the top nine, we’ll see how the coach uses him.

Whatever happens on Jan. 4, it’s the beginning of an exciting chapter for Othmann. One that will be worth watching.