Prospect Info: At 16th Overall the Rangers Select Brennan Othmann

[Gordon Bombay]

No "Brennan has a mangina" posts yet?

 

[NYRangers0723]

Just wanna say, I purposely led off this convo by pointing out he was very far from a bust/disappointment to make it clear that's not where I was going with this.

I don't think you got a chance to see where this started but it probablywouldn't even matter lol...you have no idea how often I lead off a convo with a comment to prevent someone from misconstrueing what I say and then someone blows off the clarification as if it doesn't exist. Then I point out they blew right by the comment and they don't even have the courtesy to offer a "my bad". Usually they double down or argue against a strawman I never even said

That said, its pretty important to note as players develop, expectations can grow beyond what their draft pick might otherwise dictate. And that's not automatically unreasonable or unrealistic

Calm down its not a big deal . I wasn’t attacking you. I was talking about in general many fans have this mindset

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

Calm down its not a big deal . I wasn’t attacking you. I was talking about in general many fans have this mindset

Calm down? What did I say that was even remotely upset? I was talking to you about something quirky about this place and went out if my way to point out you likely didn't get a chance to see the start of the convo...which is so many layers of ironic considering the rest of what I wrote. Tf is wrong with folks here I swear lol

Edit: you bastard
You got me lol. My bad

 

[NYRangers0723]

Calm down? What did I say that was even remotely upset? I was talking to you about something quirky about this place. Tf is wrong with folks here I swear lol

. I was just kidding with you lol

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

. I was just kidding with you lol

Dude not COOL LOL. It is way too early and it is way too impossible to tell with this place. **** you 100% got me

 

[NYRangers0723]

Dude not COOL LOL. It is way too early and it is way too impossible to tell with this place. f*** you 100% got me

. But to be fair the same could be said about your original reply to my post no?

 

[Hi ImHFNYR]

. But to be fair the same could be said about your original reply to my post no?

No! I...you...it...again! I won't even lie you just short circuited my brain more than 7 am normally does. Stop taking advantage of my addled state!

 

[SML2]

I love how people can get all indignant about the character of players, ADA is a garbage person, Mailloux should not get drafted, etc. then turn around and shit on a 17 year old kid on his draft day. Look in the mirror you animals.

I also love how people say we shouldn't be overpaying for a guy like Goodrow, we should be finding the next Goodrow, then when they find a guy who brings what Goodrow brings but has skills, like a Marchand, that's not good enough either.

I think they make medication to help you guys. Look into it. Pick a direction and stay with it. Don't just argue the negative of every God Damned decision.

 

[ThirdEye]

I love how people can get all indignant about the character of players, ADA is a garbage person, Mailloux should not get drafted, etc. then turn around and shit on a 17 year old kid on his draft day. Look in the mirror you animals.

I also love how people say we shouldn't be overpaying for a guy like Goodrow, we should be finding the next Goodrow, then when they find a guy who brings what Goodrow brings but has skills, like a Marchand, that's not good enough either.

I think they make medication to help you guys. Look into it. Pick a direction and stay with it. Don't just argue the negative of every God Damned decision.

Seems pretty obvious to me to that they're going to address the center issue outside of the draft. Could be wrong, but I don't think Drury is that level of oblivious.

Additionally, neither of the centers that were left were guys who where going to make a difference anytime soon. There will be other (better) drafts and opportunities to fill the center hole. People are just mad the Rangers didn't pick prospects that they got emotionally attached to

 

[DekeR]

I personally like this pick, sure it's not the center position we were all looking at but considering the lack of physicality/character in the pipe line I see no problem with the pick. No matter who we got it was going to be a few years before the icing was added to the cake. So I'm still looking for a future move to bring in a center now instead of a few years from now.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

For anyone who has time, this is the gold medal game from the U18 this season.

He was terrific in this game.

 

[Kovalev27]

Let me tell u guys something. This draft sucks

which is why we wanted to go with Cossa when that didn’t happen we went to what the NYR believed was the second best guy on their board there.

another thing most of these “centers” in this draft will never play center at the nhl level. No way. Not good enough

 

[Savant]

Let me tell u guys something. This draft sucks

which is why we wanted to go with Cossa when that didn’t happen we went to what the NYR believed was the second best guy on their board there.

another thing most of these “centers” in this draft will never play center at the nhl level. No way. Not good enough

Where is the info that they wanted Cossa?

 

[UAGoalieGuy]

Where is the info that they wanted Cossa?

I think it was alluded to by Edge last night. He had mentioned with one pick before the Rangers were up there were 2 of the Rangers top 10 left. Detriot jumped in front and picked Cossa. Edge then said Othmann was #10 on the Rangers top 10 list.

 

[nyr2k2]

Yes and someone on the broadcast, maybe Weekes, made the comment that maybe Detroit had some intel that the Rangers wanted to take Cossa there and that's why they moved up. I don't know if he was actually stating that he knew that to be the case or if it was idle speculation.

 

[egelband]

Yes and someone on the broadcast, maybe Weekes, made the comment that maybe Detroit had some intel that the Rangers wanted to take Cossa there and that's why they moved up. I don't know if he was actually stating that he knew that to be the case or if it was idle speculation.

If true, wtf? Why are people giving up this info and why are teams able to, essentially, spy? I know it’s ‘how it’s done’ or whatever. But it’s a bit shitty if true.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

Get this kid a skating coach stat. He gets where he needs to go but he's wasting so much energy getting there.

He’s working with a power skating coach literally right now. Posted this earlier.

 

[Tawnos]

I think it was alluded to by Edge last night. He had mentioned with one pick before the Rangers were up there were 2 of the Rangers top 10 left. Detriot jumped in front and picked Cossa. Edge then said Othmann was #10 on the Rangers top 10 list.

I think the other one in the top-10 was probably Wallstedt, who we'd heard the Rangers were high on, but decided not to take the goalie for all the reasons we know teams don't like goalies in the 1st round. Hell, even though Drury is clearly charting his own course here, he has been in the room with Gorton for a few years and Gorton said several, several times last night that he would never take a goalie in the 1st round.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

Let me tell u guys something. This draft sucks

which is why we wanted to go with Cossa when that didn’t happen we went to what the NYR believed was the second best guy on their board there.

another thing most of these “centers” in this draft will never play center at the nhl level. No way. Not good enough

Agreed on the center comment. There is little chance any of them stick at C.

 

[Tawnos]

Yes and someone on the broadcast, maybe Weekes, made the comment that maybe Detroit had some intel that the Rangers wanted to take Cossa there and that's why they moved up. I don't know if he was actually stating that he knew that to be the case or if it was idle speculation.

It struck me as idle speculation, because it was in the context of why teams move up in the first place.

 

[Gardner McKay]

No but sooner or later you have to actually start to get them and drafting them is the cheapest way.

Really? How did we get Mika? I seem to be forgetting. Can you remind me?

 

[Hinterland]

Let me tell u guys something. This draft sucks

which is why we wanted to go with Cossa when that didn’t happen we went to what the NYR believed was the second best guy on their board there.

another thing most of these “centers” in this draft will never play center at the nhl level. No way. Not good enough

Agree 100%. There are also some who could play Center but might end up not spending a lot of time in the middle just because they're even better on the Wing. Johnson or McTavish for example.

 

[SingnBluesOnBroadway]

Thanks. I do wonder why this team is so opposed to drafting centers. Lol

It might appear that way, but were you going to take Byfield over Lafreniere last year? Or pass on Kakko the year before? I was hoping for Lucious, but it's not like they have avoided centers.

 

[Doctyl]

Really? How did we get Mika? I seem to be forgetting. Can you remind me?

By signing Marian Gaborik

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

Nice write up on him on the athletic: Rangers' first-round pick Brennan Othmann is a goal scorer and 'ultra-high achiever' in pursuit of his hockey dream

Seems to have some Kreider in him, obsessed with getting better and working out and stuff.

Those who know Brennan Othmann, the Rangers’ first-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, all have the same thing to say about him.

He cares. A lot.

And they don’t say it in cliched terms that parrot lines about work ethic and effort. He cares in the obsessive, need-to-be-better, fix-every-deficiency kind of way, they’ll tell you.

If you ask around, you’ll hear other things about him, too. Like that he’s one of the 2021 draft class’ best scorers. But everyone always comes back to the way he has immersed himself in the pursuit of his NHL dream.
Some describe it as a blessing, the kind of feverishness that they wish everyone had.

“I think he can get in his head but at the same time that’s what makes him who he is. Sometimes caring too much can lead to getting in your own head a little bit but I’ve been working with him for many years now and I think that’s a good problem to have,” said Power Edge Pro skills coach Nick Quinn. “Every time he makes a mistake in PEP, he gets frustrated. And some guys don’t care. I’ve said this to multiple people over the years but I think he has come a long ways over the years in that regard. He has improved the mental side of his game.”

Others view it as both a blessing and a curse.

“The best way I can classify him is as an ultra-high achiever with ultra hypersensitivity. He’s very aware of if he’s not attaining his goals or he’s not on the right path or other players are playing better than him. And having those things in your mind, it’s just natural that you’re hard on yourself. That’s an area of improvement in my estimation,” said Eric Wellwood, who coached Othmann in his rookie season with the Flint Firebirds in the OHL in 2019-2020.
But standing inside Toronto’s Westwood Arena before one of those Power Edge Pro skates on a morning in July, Othmann knows that everything he’s done, everything he has obsessed over, has brought him to this point.
And this point, is a likely first-round selection in the NHL Draft.
Growing up, Othmann was always judged relative to his minor hockey teammate and best friend, Shane Wright.
On that July morning in that Toronto arena, they’re reunited at the rink for a skills session with a group of other top NHL prospects, and they spend their morning laughing and making plans for after the skate.
Wright was the titanic Don Mills Flyers’ sensation who eventually got exceptional status into the OHL at 15 and is the front runner for No. 1 pick the 2022 NHL Draft.
Though Othmann was a star in his own right and the second pick in the 2019 OHL draft (immediately after Wright), he was always also Wright’s wingman, a role that those who know him say motivated him in a big way.
At 13, Othmann had already set his sights on the NHL and began working with Bryan Knipe, a strength and conditioning coach, as his trainer.
In the five years since, he and Knipe have trained one-on-one, instead of in the larger groups that are typical, for two reasons.
The first, is the needs-specific training that Knipe can give him in that setting.
“I always get ‘why aren’t you working out with guys’ and I think it would be nice to work out with a guy like Shane,” Othmann said, looking to his right. “But I just find working out by myself is 10 times better. Knipe’s there for me, he’s focused on me, and he can see if I’m doing something wrong and tell me what I’m doing wrong instead of veering off to another guy.”
The second, Knipe guesses, is because his client prefers not to have to compare himself to others. And Knipe argues that mentality is a good thing, describing Othmann as a joy to work with because of how focused he is on what he needs to do to get to where he wants to go.
“Brennan’s amazing,” Knipe said. “He’s extremely hardworking, he’s very goal-oriented (and) once he sets a goal he’s going to do whatever it takes to reach that goal. And that’s just the type of player he is too. He has been a winner his whole career and he’ll do whatever it takes to win and to help the team. And that carries over to the gym too. Once he sets a strength goal, he’ll do whatever it takes to reach that goal.”
When Othmann first began working with Knipe, those goals were just to develop the basics.
“When he was 13, he was kind of behind the 8-ball. He’d had a few other trainers but he hadn’t been trained properly. So he didn’t have full body control and we had to focus for the better part of a year on just the fundamentals, his form and also just having fun with the workouts because he actually hated the gym at that point,” Knipe said.
But in time, Knipe found that Othmann was quickly playing catchup with his other elite-level clients. And then his fitness levels began to surpass them.
“He handled it tremendously,” Knipe said of the way Othmann ramped up his training. “He’s right up there with all the other top athletes strength-wise now. Speed-wise, he always beats everyone in his dryland training. And now he loves the gym. He’d probably spend a whole day in my gym now if he could.”
Last year, in his first season out of Wright’s shadow, Othmann’s hard work paid off when he excelled on his own merits as a rookie with the Firebirds, scoring 17 goals and 33 points in 55 games as a 16-year-old, good for third in goals among all under-17 OHL players.
When it was over, Wellwood was “really pleased” with his top pick’s season.
“Even from a statistical standpoint, it’s not fair to try to compare him to a generational talent (like Wright) to see if he had a good season or not. From my perspective, he did,” Wellwood said. “He made a lot of growth in areas of the game where in AAA, you don’t really necessarily need with your play away from the puck, your defensive play, game management, when to dump it in, when it’s time to try something a little bit riskier, things like that. He was a pleasure to coach.”

Othmann had 17 goals in 55 games for Flint in 2019-20. (Terry Wilson / OHL Images)
But even after he was named to the OHL’s First All-Rookie Team, Othmann told those around him that he was unsatisfied by the way he’d played and that some of his peers had outperformed him.
So into the summer before his draft year, he settled on a new area that needed work — his nutrition — and went all-in on changing what he put into his body in an effort to add muscle for the season ahead.
“His nutrition has come a long way. He was never really brought up properly with nutrition. This year he has taken a huge step forward in terms of learning what foods impact his body in which ways and how it impacts him on the ice at the end of a shift. So he has been learning a lot,” Knipe said. “That’s classic Brennan.”
When the summer ended and the OHL opted not to return, Othmann’s desire to prove himself and showcase the progress he’d made brought him to Switzerland when he was among the very first draft-eligible players to flee North American for European hockey.
There, following in the footsteps of his father Gery and his uncle Robert, who both played hockey professionally in Switzerland, Othmann, a dual citizen, signed with EHC Olten in the second-tier Swiss League, moving in with team president Marc Thommen and his family. Othmann’s father is also a dual citizen of Canada and Switzerland.
Though the year was again a success by any measure, with Othmann playing a regular role and scoring 18 points in 34 games in his first foray into professional hockey, it also came with constant comparisons when fellow 2021 prospect Mason McTavish, who was meant to fly over with him in the fall but was delayed until February after his 18th birthday, joined him with EHC Olten — and at Thommen’s house.
Though the two grew close, having previously also played together at the Canada Winter Games (and eventually U18 worlds in the spring once they were done in Switzerland), it wasn’t lost on either of them that they had long been competing with each other.
It was McTavish, taken three picks after Othmann in the 2019 OHL draft, who was the only player other than Wright to outscore him in his rookie season in the OHL. And now they were teammates, competing for the slotting at the top of the NHL Draft.
“It’s something that I’m never going to forget. It’s an unforgettable memory, especially with Mason there. He was great. We’ve built a good friendship,” Othmann said of the experience. “It took me a while to get used to it. I’d never been there, even though I’ve got the passport, but it was lots of fun.”
Thommen was “very impressed” by the way Othmann carried himself throughout, pointing in a recent phone call to his unending desire to improve himself. When Othmann had to leave to join Canada for U18 worlds in Texas, a tournament in which he scored six points in seven games and helped his draft stock on the way to a gold medal, Thommen was sad to see him leave both for the relationship they’d built and because his team was losing an important piece.
“(Brennan) was so well behaved and quickly settled into our home,” Thommen said. “The whole team will watch the NHL Draft for the two boys. They were really so good.”

Othmann’s Swiss citizenship helped him get overseas faster when the OHL shut down. (Marc Schumacher / EHC Olten)
Othmann, despite not having had the OHL platform year he expected, is proud of how he handled his unique season’s circumstances.
“I think people recognize my name now and I played well in Switzerland. I don’t want to sell myself short. I think I did a great job with what I had and developed well. I actually thought I got better over the season than I would have in the OHL, and that has nothing to do with Flint. I just think playing against men in Switzerland really helped,” Othmann said. “I can’t wait to show that at the next level. I know it’s going to take hard work and it’s going to be a grind play in a top-six role, but what I learned over in Switzerland is really going to make the transition a lot easier. It was a great decision. I have no regrets going.”
Despite that confidence, though, he’s still constantly looking inward too.
This summer, when criticism of his skating popped up into another offseason, Othmann made it his latest top priority with Knipe in the gym. And when he wasn’t in the gym with Knipe, he was working on it on the ice with skating coach Lisa Clark.
His confidence is never going to waver, though. When he’s asked to describe his game, he does so in great detail.
He talks about his shot, of course, but also his hockey IQ as a tool that you can’t teach and his biggest advantage over his peers.
“It’s just kind of in you as a kid,” he said.
He talks about his defensive game as something that doesn’t get talked about enough and the pride he takes in being a 200-foot player or blocking shots. He talks about his physicality and his ability to hunt and strip pucks from opposing players.
And when he gets to his skating, he doesn’t concede there either.
“I’m working on my explosiveness and I wouldn’t say it’s a weakness but it’s something that I want to get better and better at,” he says.
When others talk about his game, they describe him in similar terms.
“He still needs to work on his skating but he has time to develop it. His hockey IQ, his vision, his skill level, his ability to score, his ability to work with really good players in a top-six role, I think he’s the real deal there 100 percent,” said one source of Othmann.
Othmann reminds Quinn of one of his old teammates in his younger playing days, Canadiens forward Tyler Toffoli.
“He’s definitely a natural goal scorer like (Toffoli). With (Toffoli), sometimes you’d be watching the game and you’re just like ‘He had three points? How did he have three points?’ Brennan just has that natural knack around the net too. And I think his skating has improved from years ago, like Tyler’s did,” Quinn said.
After another summer of dedication in the gym, Knipe, who will be at the Othmann house to watch his big day play out, has big expectations for his pupil.
“Where he needs to work on is his first three strides and his explosiveness, so we’ve been doing that all this offseason and you’ll be able to see that transition on the ice this year. It should be another breakout season for him,” Knipe said. “I can’t wait for him to get picked. He has been nervous about it, to say the least. I know it has been weighing on him heavily. I’m extremely excited for him. He’s a great kid.
Wellwood said he wouldn’t worry about Othmann’s skating, either.
“I don’t know if it matters so much with the way that he plays because he plays with his mind so much better that even if his speed and quickness isn’t at a breakaway pace, his mind is so he can create separation through his timing and reading the play. He definitely needs to improve upon it. But I think he’s a first-rounder all day anyways,” Wellwood said.
And though Wellwood, who chose not to return to the Firebirds for the 2021-2022 season, won’t be there to guide Othmann in the first post-draft chapter in his career in the fall, Othmann promised to do him proud and take over as a leader and the Firebirds’ No. 1 guy.
“I think it’s going to be my team next year and I’m confident with that,” Othmann said, already planning for the next hurdle.