Brennan Othmann’s Surprising Path Forward After Missing Rangers’ Opening-Night Roster Revealed

Danny Wild, an image that captures a moment in the swirling saga surrounding Brennan Othmann and the New York Rangers — a decision that has sent ripples through the hockey community. The Rangers opting to assign Othmann to the Hartford Wolf Pack in the AHL isn’t just a roster move; it’s a storyline loaded with anticipation, disappointment, and the promise of redemption. For quite some time, Othmann’s been right on the cusp, a young talent persistently knocking at the Rangers’ door, tantalizingly close to securing his place. Last season, he hovered just shy of the final lineup, and despite a 22-game trial in 2024-25, the dream of a permanent NHL berth remains just out of grasp. Talking with Othmann recently revealed a man in a renewed mental space, energized by a rigorous off-season with NHL veterans — yet, oddly enough, that striking boost in confidence didn’t quite materialize on the ice this time around. The details, the finer points of his game — especially defensively — are the stumbling blocks keeping his NHL breakthrough elusive. Coach Mike Sullivan’s candid reflections spotlight a path not closed but needing careful navigation — an unyielding focus on detail and dependable play away from the spotlight. As the depth chart shifted beneath him throughout the camp, the writing was on the wall sooner than expected. But here’s the key — this isn’t the end for Othmann. Hartford awaits, a stage to polish his craft, play a starring role, and make a compelling case for a swift return. It’s a detour perhaps, rather than a dead end — a bitter pill maybe, but one that could pave a stronger path forward. The upcoming season could be his proving grounds, and believe me, there’s a fire lit now, a determination to show the Rangers what he’s really made of. LEARN MORE

There’s a lot to unpack regarding the New York Rangers’ decision to send Brennan Othmann down to the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League.

It feels as if Othmann has been knocking at the door to make the Rangers’ roster for a couple of years now.

Last year, Othmann was one of the Rangers’ last roster cuts, as he was close to making the Rangers’ opening-night roster.

After getting a 22-game audition with the Rangers during the 2024-25 campaign, he came to rookie camp this year with the hopes of earning a permanent NHL spot.

Upon speaking to Othmann for the first time since April, he emphasized that he’s in a better mental space and was feeling much more confident after a full offseason training with other NHL players.

Othmann’s newfound confidence and mentality unfortunately, did not translate to his play on the ice.

The 2021 first-round pick struggled to make a strong impression through training camp and four preseason games.

It wasn’t that Othmann performed at an unfathomable level, but it was more about what he didn’t do and the little things he needs to fix before taking the jump as a regular NHL player.

Mike Sullivan feels there are a couple of small aspects on the ice that Othmann still needs to unlock in order to earn a spot with the Rangers.

“We’ve had a number of discussions around what that pathway might look like for him to carve a role on the New York Rangers,” Sullivan said. “A lot of the discussion we had just talked about conscientious play, attention to detail, defensively, away from the puck, playing within structure, having some predictability and reliability and dependability around his game.

“I think if he can add more detail around those things, essentially that’s what it boils down to. It’s attention to detail in all zones, in particular on the defensive side of the puck. Those are the conversations I’ve had with Otter over the past little while.”

Over the course of training camp, Otthmann began falling behind players on the depth chart he was directly competing with for a roster spot, including Gabe Perreault and Brett Berard.

It was quickly becoming evident that the 22-year-old forward would get sent down to Hartford, and those assumptions ultimately became a reality, even sooner than many people originally anticipated.

Brennan Othmann Sent Down To Hartford Wolf Pack
Brennan Othmann has been sent down to the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League, as he will not make the New York Rangers’ opening-night roster.

Despite being set down, Sullivan made clear that there’s still a pathway for Otthmann to work his way back up.

“I said to Otter, ‘just because this decision was made today doesn’t mean that there is finality to it and that the opportunity no longer exists, it very much exists and will continue to exist,’ and we will continue to work with Otter.” said Sullivan.

What is next for Otthmann?

Now he’ll likely play a top-line role for the Wolf Pack, where he’ll be put in a position to thrive and showcase his skills.

It isn’t necessarily what he may have wanted, but starting the season in the AHL could be positive for his overall development.

Only time will tell what the future holds for Otthmann, but he has a chip on his shoulder going into the 2025-26 campaign to show the Rangers brass what he is truly capable of.