2025 Rangers Season Previews: Brennan Othmann

This article is part of an ongoing series of Rangers Season Previews, taking a close look at what we can, and should, expect from each member of the 2025-26 New York Rangers.

Time waits for no one. The 2021 draft, in which the Rangers selected Brennan Othmann sixteenth overall, feels like a lifetime ago. It's hard to remember that this will only be his third professional season. A prolific scorer in the OHL, Othmann is still working to make his mark on the Rangers organization. His hard-nosed and pesky style of play, combined with the offensive skills he displayed as a prospect, is something any NHL team would covet. However, we have seen multiple prospects jump Othmann in the depth chart since that fateful June evening when they called his name at the podium. While he may no longer be the most buzzworthy name in the Rangers' organization, the young left winger has all the ingredients of an effective NHL player; he just needs to figure out how to put them together.

Previous Performance

Othmann’s first season with the Hartford Wolf Pack set a decent bar for the former first round pick. His numbers weren't mind-blowing, but 49 points in 67 games as an AHL rookie was a solid start. His production waned as the Wolf Pack made a surprisingly deep run in the postseason, but Othmann’s first year as a pro was in the books, and it felt as if the hot-tempered winger was bound to take the next step.

Unfortunately, his sophomore campaign was marred by injury. Three games into Othmann’s second season with the Wolf Pack, he sustained an injury that kept him out until nearly the new year. This happened right after he was one of the last cuts made by the Rangers at the end of their preseason. Othmann struggled to find consistency after his return but was beginning to hit his stride at the end of January, scoring six goals in his last ten games with the Wolf Pack. However, as March approached, Othmann was called up to the NHL and played in 22 games for the Rangers as they sold off their depth players and prepared to miss the playoffs.

Othmann had two assists in the 22 games he played in the NHL this past season, but finished with 20 points in 27 games for the Wolf Pack. His production in the AHL matched his previous season's output, despite recovering from his injury and extended absence from the roster. However, his NHL performance was disappointing and not encouraging for a former first round pick. Before you write Othmann off, consider his deployment. He had less than ten minutes of ice time in ten of the twenty-two games, skating as low as six minutes against the Edmonton Oilers. With more ice time and better linemates, the jury is still out on what Othmann can do in the NHL.

Expectations

With multiple signings and depth moves, there isn’t a lot of space on the Rangers' roster this upcoming season, and likely one or more of the Rangers’ young, promising wingers will end up in the AHL. Whether that’s Othmann, Gabe Perreault, or Brett Berard remains to be seen. But with a new head coach taking the reins this year, it’s a clean slate and anyone’s roster spot. There are two main paths forward for Othmann.

The first is that he sticks in the NHL. Othmann will need to give the Rangers every reason not to cut him from training camp. Once he makes the team, he needs to focus on doing what he does best: contributing on the scoresheet and getting under the opposing team’s skin. In his first full year, a 30-point rookie season in the NHL is in line with what the team expects from the young winger.

The other route for Othmann is not making the Rangers' roster in camp, but he will need to be among the last players the team cuts, forcing a tough decision on Mike Sullivan. In Hartford, he must play outstanding hockey, find consistency, score closer to a point per game clip in the AHL, and lead the Wolf Pack in scoring. He also needs to earn his way back to the NHL during the season, whether to replace an injured player or for other reasons. Anything less than this in Hartford would be a step back in his development and would raise questions about his potential as an NHL player.

Predictions

I believe Othmann is closer than ever to reaching his potential, but I also see him aligning more with the second option laid out above. Based on organizational rankings, I feel Othmann will most likely be the odd man out, along with at least one other top winger prospect, so he won’t be alone in his demotion to the AHL. If he stays healthy, he will score at a 30 goal pace for the Wolf Pack. Whether he gets called up depends on factors beyond his control, but I believe he will do everything possible to make it a compelling option for the organization.

Conclusion

The former first-round pick is on the brink of breaking through to the next level, but he needs to first take that step in the AHL. I believe he has the potential to be a top-six productive winger in the NHL, but the Rangers need to see him perform at that level in their farm system before they will give him a longer leash. This is an important year for Othmann: it will either be the stepping stone to solidify his reputation and career as a serious prospect, or it will be the season that diminishes the remaining belief in his promising future.