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

[UnSandvich]

At this point, i'm not quite as angry with how this draft went, but I still feel there were consistently better options than the ones we took

 

[eco's bones]

This was special…my favorite player slapping home a penalty shot while playing with a broken hand (he couldn’t stick handle)…all on my birthday!

I loved this player. It’s too bad we only had him for two seasons. He had grit and an extremely high hockey IQ.

 

[bobbop]

I loved this player. It’s too bad we only had him for two seasons. He had grit and an extremely high hockey IQ.

He hated Colin Campbell

 

[UnSandvich]

For perspective on my previous post, some guys i'd have considered are:

Svechkov or Lucius over Othmann
Pastujov or Svozil (both roughly late 1st rounders imo) over Grubbe
Kirsanov or Johnson over Korczak
Savage, Duke, Tschigerl in the Lamb, Vaisanen, Boyko range
Bardakov as a late rounder
Maybe trade up for Raty
Etc. Etc.

 

[eco's bones]

He hated Colin Campbell

i’m not a big fan of Campbell’s either.

 

[jay from jersey]

At this point, i'm not quite as angry with how this draft went, but I still feel there were consistently better options than the ones we took

Can’t argue with that. Seeing all the trade proposals for Elias Lindholm and the crazy price it would take, and then seeing Lucius go 2 picks later then us when his style compares to Lindholm is a real head scratcher. Especially to draft another winger. I hope Othmann has the goods. I know he’s got a deadly sneaky shot. But so does Lucius, and he has better hands and a better all around package. This is more then likely one of those times where Othmann still turns out to be a good player, but we passed on the better one, who plays our greatest position of need

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Can’t argue with that. Seeing all the trade proposals for Elias Lindholm and the crazy price it would take, and then seeing Lucius go 2 picks later then us when his style compares to Lindholm is a real head scratcher. Especially to draft another winger. I hope Othmann has the goods. I know he’s got a deadly sneaky shot. But so does Lucius, and he has better hands and a better all around package. This is more then likely one of those times where Othmann still turns out to be a good player, but we passed on the better one, who plays our greatest position of need

We have ZERO wingers in our prospect pool with top-6 upside. We needed a good winger prospect as much as we need center prospects.

 

[Miz]

We have ZERO wingers in our prospect pool with top-6 upside. We needed a good winger prospect as much as we need center prospects.

Stop making good points.

 

[jay from jersey]

We have ZERO wingers in our prospect pool with top-6 upside. We needed a good winger prospect as much as we need center prospects.

Yea but our wing situation for the next 5 years + is pretty stable with young guys and signed players. Plus all the bottom 6 guys in our system. But good thing we took another one with middle 6 talent. Othmann isn’t exactly projected to be a high end top 6 scoring winger. That’s not the worst with LaF, kakko, Kravtsov in the fold, and Kreids and Panarin locked up for years yet.
At center we have chytil and Hendriksson signed beyond next year. And Barron if they keep him at C.
Bottom line, Lucius plays the greater position of need and has more high end potential.
If Othmann doesn’t become a top flight winger, he’s Cuylle with a better shot. Not even close what the greater positional need for the big club is in the next 5 years time.
To go a step further, if your just looking for top 6 upside, we still would have been better off drafting Lucius and shifting him to wing. He’s got more boom potential then Othmann. Better hands and a better overall package and a higher ceiling.

 

[Thirty One]

Our guy has linemates today.

 

[ArPanet]

And an assist.

 

[dangsLITE]

Yea but our wing situation for the next 5 years + is pretty stable with young guys and signed players. Plus all the bottom 6 guys in our system. But good thing we took another one with middle 6 talent. Othmann isn’t exactly projected to be a high end top 6 scoring winger. That’s not the worst with LaF, kakko, Kravtsov in the fold, and Kreids and Panarin locked up for years yet.
At center we have chytil and Hendriksson signed beyond next year. And Barron if they keep him at C.
Bottom line, Lucius plays the greater position of need and has more high end potential.
If Othmann doesn’t become a top flight winger, he’s Cuylle with a better shot. Not even close what the greater positional need for the big club is in the next 5 years time.
To go a step further, if your just looking for top 6 upside, we still would have been better off drafting Lucius and shifting him to wing. He’s got more boom potential then Othmann. Better hands and a better overall package and a higher ceiling.

this is just not true. vast majority of sources believe he has top 6 potential

 

[Edge]

We have ZERO wingers in our prospect pool with top-6 upside. We needed a good winger prospect as much as we need center prospects.

In fairness we also have four forwards age 21 and younger with top six upside (plus) and that we’re also just now hoping to consistently get into those roles. So it’s not like we’re looking at Panarin, Kreider and then the great abyss.

 

[jay from jersey]

this is just not true. vast majority of sources believe he has top 6 potential

Higher floor/lower ceiling

there’s not 1 draft board that would put him in front of Lucius talent wise. My guess is the rangers didn’t like the fact he was coming back from knee surgery, even though he came back on fire.
There’s absolutely no other reason they would have preferred Othmann to Lucius.
You can find write ups/reports that praise him as the hardest worker they’ve ever seen, just like Othmann

 

[Number 9]

This was special…my favorite player slapping home a penalty shot while playing with a broken hand (he couldn’t stick handle)…all on my birthday!

Larmer was the man

 

[brakeyawself]

From my point of view it makes zero sense to -- in relation to guys like Othman and Henriksson -- talk about "skating" like its one thing that you have or don't have.

Skating is have many sides to it. Othman is really quick and excellent at chasing down guys on the forecheck and what not. Henriksson is super mobile and tremendously slippery on his skates. Both these players were easily top 5% in their draft class in these areas, i.e. in -- parts of -- their skating.

Then Henriksson isn't very fast going the length of the ice, which I think is a flaw that is overstated but that is another issue.

As to Othman, after the acceleration phase when a good skater shifts into a long effective stride which gives him a very high top speed, Othman instead keeps his stride short and choppy which undoubtedly hurts his top speed.

There are many players who just are "heavy" on their skates, at different degrees. They just don't have that jump and quick feets. Lias Andersson is a good example. I have no objections to their skating being called out in a general statement claiming that its not good. But for me at least, it matters a great deal if someone skates like Henriksson or Othman on one hand or like Lias Andersson on the other. Henriksson and Othman's skating can be a huge assets in some situations, and holding them back in others. And Othman also differs from Henriksson a great deal since his technique obviously is so flawed which raises the question how must and fast it can be improved.

Well, I did say about 10 times that it can be corrected and often is. The thing is, you don't want to see your guys in the NHL choppin away at the ice like that. Regardless.

It's not a matter of "to chop or not to chop" it's a matter of "knowing when to chop." The things that make their "skating.....(a).....huge asset in some situations" are still possible when correcting the things that are bad about their skating. So it's not really a matter of their "style" of skating. It's a matter of learning how to skate proficiently in all various circumstances. They aren't going to throw a guy in because he's running on his skates all the time and it helps them out in "some situations". They are going to want to throw a guy out there who runs in his skates when it is the "right situation" and a guy who can then glide in his skates, or use his skates however he needs to in every other situation.

I guess what makes a good skater in the NHL is someone who understands the various ways they can use their skates in all situations to optimize their energy efficiency, balance, stopping, turning ,quickness and top line speed. And when they need to use their legs to propel them forward across a short distance faster, they know how to do that without sacrificing all the other skills.

But yea, it's something that can be corrected. It's not a huge concern. But for some guys, they just never figure it out. I am not sure why that is. But some guys just never look comfortable on their skates. And it does ultimately hold them back at times. It's why a guy like Dylan Strome, who should have all the hockey talent in the world, can't perform at the levels he probably should with that talent. All though Strome is also slower than a snail. But it's why a lot of teams look for good skaters along with high talent. Because they know that's one aspect of the game that will allow their other assets to bloom and be the best they can be.

Again, this is one reason I think the Sens reached so hard and took Boucher at pick 10 when he wasn't really being looked at as more than a fringe 1st rounder. I mean, he has the potential to be great. He's very similar to Othmann, not as good a shot though. But Boucher is a terrific skater. He could be ready in a year or 2 with a little improvement in other areas. And anything else he can learn, to add to his repertoire, he will be able to do at his most agile, at his fastest. I think the Rangers were considering taking Boucher at 16 though. So the Sens didn't trade back or anything. And I think the Rangers may have actually selected him if he were still there instead of Othmann at 16. But I guess we will never know.

Another thing, skating effects how well you hit. It effects how fast you can get there, your angle, your balance and all that. So for a guy who is supposed to be physical, it can be very important. And for an energy guy, expending that energy in the most efficient manner, and getting from point A to point B as fast as you can, is also important. And also over not just short, but long distances. And transitioning across the zones. Boucher reminds me of Kreider a bit in that regard. Kreider, another top notch skater since he was drafted. Now if Othmann had their skating, he'd eventually be a star and probably would have been picked in the top 5 or easily the top 10. But it's something you can't predict. Some guys improve, some don't. Let's hope he will.

 

[brakeyawself]

He's currently working with a power skating coach, so I'm pretty confident that he's going to improve his skating.

THere you go. If he puts the work in and doesn’t have any physiological inhibiting obscurity, I’m sure he will.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

In fairness we also have four forwards age 21 and younger with top six upside (plus) and that we’re also just now hoping to consistently get into those roles. So it’s not like we’re looking at Panarin, Kreider and then the great abyss.

No, but we those 3 will all be on SPCs in 2 years. You need players on ELCs to contribute to stay competitive during your Cup window.

 

[brakeyawself]

His skating is bad means he should have been drafted in the sixth round.
That really means his skating needs work and refinement cause he was drafted in the middle of the first.
The dumping on this pick has become exhausting.

Nah. If his skating is bad in a general sense he’s playing any sport but hockey. IF his skating is bad in an nhl sense he could be drafted as high as Dylan Strome.

Aww are you tired of standing up for the team? Making sure no one says a mean thing about them? Cute.

You don’t have to pretend that everything they do is gold and all they touch is gold to support them.

 

[brakeyawself]

In fairness we also have four forwards age 21 and younger with top six upside (plus) and that we’re also just now hoping to consistently get into those roles. So it’s not like we’re looking at Panarin, Kreider and then the great abyss.

We just signed Kreider to a 7 year contract and then less than a year later draft his replacment. Gonna speculate and say that’s a bit odd.

But if this guy skates as well as BOUCHER he’s probably a top 5 pick.

 

[brakeyawself]

Our guy has linemates today.

On a side note, I’m shocked at how much progress Neighbors has made since being drafted. HE went from a guy with Perceived limited ceiling and wildly different opinions on him, to a guy with legit 1st line, or at least top 6 potential.

So anything is possible for Othmann.

 

[brakeyawself]

For perspective on my previous post, some guys i'd have considered are:

Svechkov or Lucius over Othmann
Pastujov or Svozil (both roughly late 1st rounders imo) over Grubbe
Kirsanov or Johnson over Korczak
Savage, Duke, Tschigerl in the Lamb, Vaisanen, Boyko range
Bardakov as a late rounder
Maybe trade up for Raty
Etc. Etc.

Once we took Othmann the move was definitely to trade into the 2nd to grab Raty, Pinelli, Stankoven or maybe Broz. Maybe another I’m missing. That would have made Othmann pick look way better as we still get a plausible top 6 Center prospect. I don’t think any on par with Svechkov or Lucius, but still.

IM assuming Drury tried.

 

[The Crypto Guy]

Once we took Othmann the move was definitely to trade into the 2nd to grab Raty, Pinelli, Stankoven or maybe Broz. Maybe another I’m missing. That would have made Othmann pick look way better as we still get a plausible top 6 Center prospect. I don’t think any on par with Svechkov or Lucius, but still.

IM assuming Drury tried.

I don't. He shouldn't have made the pick before he had a trade in place for the 2nd if that was the case.

 

[Edge]

Nah. If his skating is bad in a general sense he’s playing any sport but hockey. IF his skating is bad in an nhl sense he could be drafted as high as Dylan Strome.

Aww are you tired of standing up for the team? Making sure no one says a mean thing about them? Cute.

You don’t have to pretend that everything they do is gold and all they touch is gold to support them.

I think he's definitely in the middle six mix.

If the skills come together a bit more (he's got some work to do), he's probably closer to a top six role because of his shot. If not, he projects more as third line guy who can maybe slide up. He's a good prospect and one we can afford to wait on.

 

[GAGLine]

Team Canada summer showcase: U18 standouts and World Junior roster projection

New York Rangers

LW Brennan Othmann: Othmann didn’t play with prominent lineups and took his turn as a 13th forward but was still consistently making things happen offensively. His outside speed looks improved and he beat his guy wide more often than not. And while he can drift to the perimeter in possession, I thought he did a good job feeding pucks into the interior to create chances (and goals) for his linemates.

G Dylan Garand: Garand was good. He looked like a returnee and never seemed bothered or panicked in the net, which each of the other four did at times.