LW Brennan Othmann - Hartford Wolfpack, HL (2021, 16th, NYR)

[Amazing Kreiderman]

He played for Canada in an IIHF sanctioned event already.

Looked into it a bit further. Thanks.

 

[Hinterland]

Wouldn't Othmann be eligible for Swiss citizenship and to represent Switzerland through his parents/grandparents? That's why he didn't count towards the foreign player-limit when he played for EHC Olten.

He's not just eligible, he's got double citizenship. Became a his Swiss citizen well ahead of playing in Switzerland. Him and his Switzerland based uncle Robert wisely applied for it when this whole covid bs came up. His Swiss passport allowed him to play in Switzerland as a minor while Mason McTavish had to wait until his 18th birthday because he doesn't have a Swiss passport, just a Swiss hockey licence.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

He's not just eligible, he's got double citizenship. Became a his Swiss citizen well ahead of playing in Switzerland. Him and his Switzerland based uncle Robert wisely applied for it when this whole covid bs came up. His Swiss passport allowed him to play in Switzerland as a minor while Mason McTavish had to wait until his 18th birthday because he doesn't have a Swiss passport, just a Swiss hockey licence.

Yeah, that's what I was referring to.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

 

[Sticktape]

Too fast for the announcers.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

 

[FireBird71]

Named Captain in Flint today

 

[RangersFan1994]

 

[keppel146]

Heck of a shot. Wanted the wild to nab him, but he was gone…

 

[Sticktape]

This man looks like an NHL player. Like his physical appearance.

 

[FireBird71]

Goal and 4 assists so far tonight against Saginaw

 

[Artorius Horus T]

From 0.50 ppg rookie season to 1.59 ppg - it did wonders him to play in a pro league last season.

Almost goal per game this season.

27 goals, 51 points, +13
31 penalty minutes, 150 shots on goal

Super impressive numbers, no matter who you play for
and whos your linemates.

But he plays for the Flint Firebirds.
You can only wonder what kind of numbers
he'd put with better players for a cup contender.

 

[Dominance]

From 0.50 ppg rookie season to 1.59 ppg - it did wonders him to play in a pro league last season.

Almost goal per game this season.

27 goals, 51 points, +13
31 penalty minutes, 150 shots on goal

Super impressive numbers, no matter who you play for
and whos your linemates.

But he plays for the Flint Firebirds.
You can only wonder what kind of numbers
he'd put with better players for a cup contender.

I think it is the absolute best place for him. Othmann’s been forced to step into the role of being the clear offensive leader of his team, and has performed admirably. For me, he’s improved his projection from complementary top-6 winger to a possible line-driver and designated PP shooter.

 

[ORRFForever]

I think it is the absolute best place for him. Othmann’s been forced to step into the role of being the clear offensive leader of his team, and has performed admirably. For me, he’s improved his projection from complementary top-6 winger to a possible line-driver and designated PP shooter.

The Rangers have a poor record of developing players - at least recently. Keep him out of New York until he is 100% ready.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

The Rangers have a poor record of developing players - at least recently. Keep him out of New York until he is 100% ready.

The coach after being absolutely destroyed yesterday said the reason he moved the forward with the worst 5 on 5 CF% in the league into Kakko’s spot (Reaves) was that he wanted a bigger body in that role. Wouldn’t want a prospect anywhere near this team. We are being run by dinosaurs that don’t understand hockey.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

The coach after being absolutely destroyed yesterday said the reason he moved the forward with the worst 5 on 5 CF% in the league into Kakko’s spot (Reaves) was that he wanted a bigger body in that role. Wouldn’t want a prospect anywhere near this team. We are being run by dinosaurs that don’t understand hockey.

He moved him for a few shifts. Kakko hasn't done shit since the Arizona game like a dozen games ago. He's been absolutely brutal. I would legit trade him at this point.

 

[ORRFForever]

The coach after being absolutely destroyed yesterday said the reason he moved the forward with the worst 5 on 5 CF% in the league into Kakko’s spot (Reaves) was that he wanted a bigger body in that role. Wouldn’t want a prospect anywhere near this team. We are being run by dinosaurs that don’t understand hockey.

What do think about how they are handling Laf?

Is the kid as bad as his stats would indicate?

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

What do think about how they are handling Laf?

Is the kid as bad as his stats would indicate?

I wrote a novel recently explaining it. Nothing has changed much. He had a few games as a top 6 LW, had his best games of the season, and then Panarin returned from COVID list. Lafreniere back to the same role as before.

It’s a complicated situation. Anyone that doesn’t want to read a long post should skip this one.

The biggest issue with the lines is that all of Panarin, Kreider, and Lafreniere are rigid LW’s. Kreider and Lafreniere have tried RW, and it hasn’t went well. Maybe just a SSS, but the early sample wasn’t good. Panarin is not even being considered for RW. He’s a great player, but I get the sense that he makes a lot of demands and is very rigid with what he asks of coaching and management.

This has seeped into the line combinations. Panarin and Strome are never broken up because they play well together. The other lines don’t really work, but for some reason the solution must always include these two guys on the same line.

They are also very lazy without the puck. This has been Strome’s whole career, and Panarin has gotten progressively lazier the last two years. They made demands last year to have a grinder on their line instead of Kakko because it made it easier for them before the two top picks got here and they got to play with Jesper Fast, a grinder that could deal with the puck battles.

I think the solution has to be that they accept that a kid is going to have to play with them. Kakko has become very good at the dirty work, so I think they would be more willing to accept him as a linemate this year. I think Lafreniere would then go with Kreider and Zibanejad. I don’t the rigid LW stuff is as big of a deal as it’s made out to be. There’s no reason why it shouldn’t be able to work with either Kreider or Lafreniere learning to play that position. I don’t see a better alternative for the team.

The more controversial option, which I’d actually prefer, is that Panarin and Strome are broken up. Let Panarin play with Zibanejad and Kreider with Strome. Then the two kids go with either pairing.

The PP is going to be harder for Lafreniere to break into. Panarin, Zibanejad, and Fox are all proven big time scorers in the NHL. I just don’t see how a kid is taking away their spots, unless it’s like a McDavid type of instant impact guy. People suggest that Kreider is a player whose role can be given to a kid, but that’s not true. Kreider may only be a second line winger having a career year, but one thing he’s absolutely elite at is being a net front presence on the PP. I can’t see how he relinquished that role anytime soon. It’s so vital to our PP.

The obvious spot that will can come open is Strome’s spot. A lot of Rangers fans gripe why he’s been given that spot uncontested for about two years. Not only weren’t the kids given a chance to take it from him, but neither was Buchnevich, now 1PPG in St. Louis and a better player than Strome. It doesn’t make sense either why Strome’s spot on the right half wall wouldn’t go to a righty. Aside from the net front guy Kreider, the other four are all righties, which leads to some difficulties with shooting angles for the PP.

I would think that at some point that role will be relinquished. If Strome isn’t on the team next season, someone else will play that role. If the PP struggles for a prolonged amount of time and a change is made, Strome’s spot will be the one changed. However, Lafreniere has to contend with Kakko for that spot, who is a little ahead of him in overall development and was used on the first unit recently when Panarin missed a few games.

PP time will be a much bigger challenge. PP1 for Lafreniere should be a goal for 2-3 years from now. The situation with the lines is something that can and should be addressed pretty immediately. I’m happy the team is winning, but not at the complete expense of the development of our younger players.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

I'm way more optimistic about Othmann than Laf/Kakko at this point. For whatever reason this team does a much better job developing second tier forward prospects than first tier going back to Callahan and Dubinsky. Think JT Miller and Kreider. Miller wasn't as good with the Rangers as he's been with Vancouver, but he wasn't as good with Tampa who is a top flight franchise. So I don't put that on the Rangers and he was a good player with the Rangers.

 

[ORRFForever]

I wrote a novel recently explaining it. Nothing has changed much. He had a few games as a top 6 LW, had his best games of the season, and then Panarin returned from COVID list. Lafreniere back to the same role as before.

Interesting and well said. Thanks for the 2 cents.

 

[CupSeeker]

He moved him for a few shifts. Kakko hasn't done shit since the Arizona game like a dozen games ago. He's been absolutely brutal. I would legit trade him at this point.

What a mistake that would be, geez. He was driving the Strome line so he was moved to Zib's line to try and get them going. Remember, Kreider scored few at ES. And that didn't work. Trade him? Get out of here.

 

[ElLeetch]

The Rangers have a poor record of developing players - at least recently. Keep him out of New York until he is 100% ready.

Forwards. they have no problem with D or G development.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Forwards. they have no problem with D or G development.

That's because those players are far away from New York until they turn at least 21. It's when they bring kids over at age 18 and 19 that they really showcase how mindnumbingly stupid they are.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Only 1+1 today.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Only 1+1 today.

He had 2 assists today. No goal.