The New York Rangers recently decided to recall their top prospect, Brennan Othmann, following a week-to-week injury to Tyler Pitlick. His first stint in the NHL was short-lived, however, as the Blueshirts opted to send him back down to Hartford after just three games.
With Jake Leschyshyn now being called up to be the replacement for Pitlick, the Rangers’ decision to call up Othmann becomes a confusing move. Why bother if he was only going to play three games, and barely receive any ice time?
The Rangers barely utilized Othmann while he was in New York
Earlier this offseason, the main reason Othmann was kept put in the AHL was to help him thrive in a top role with the Wolf Pack. There was no room for him in the Blueshirts’ top six, and they didn’t want to waste his potential on the third or fourth line. But when the Rangers chose to call up Othmann last week, that’s exactly the role he was given.
During his three-game stint with New York, Othmann averaged just over nine minutes of ice time in the bottom six. He would earn a shift with Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad every once in a while, but overall, he wasn’t given any opportunities to prove himself as the elite offensive producer that he is.
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A random call-up to the NHL is going to hurt Othmann’s development
Before receiving the call up, Othmann was playing at the top of his game in the AHL. He had 23 points in 28 games, and was one of the leading scorers on the Wolf Pack.
Now, after transitioning back and forth from a top-six role, and moving cities with a new team, Othmann’s momentum will surely be impacted by this call-up. It will take time for him to readjust in Hartford, and this could ultimately have a negative impact on his development. The Rangers began this season by opting to keep Othmann in the AHL for a full season of development, and they should have stuck to that plan instead of wasting his time on a three-game stint.
