When the Rangers recalled Brennan Othmann yesterday, it was assumed he was recalled to address the Rangers scoring issues. Thing is, Matt Rempe did not return to the Rangers 6-5 loss to San Jose after a fight with Ryan Reaves. There’s always a chance Othmann was recalled not to address the Rangers scoring issues, but to be an extra body as the Rangers head out west for the first time this season.
The Rangers scoring issues didn’t exactly start with Vincent Trocheck’s injury, but his injury forced Conor Sheary into the top six, a role he just doesn’t fit anymore. Sheary has been fine. He’s had a solid motor and work ethic. He’s just not a scorer anymore. With the Rangers starved for offense, it makes perfect sense that the Rangers would recall Othmann and insert him into the top six.
However Othmann did not have a strong camp and has seen his name resurface in trade rumors already. While nothing is concrete, these rumors have gotten far enough that we have a *rumored* asking price of “top AHL prospects.” How true those are remains to be seen, but it does seem like the Rangers want to see what they can get for a prospect that simply hasn’t put it all together yet.
Perhaps this is all very warranted PTSD from prior coaching regimes, but it does feel like the Rangers scoring issues are not why Othmann was recalled. Instead it truly feels like some form of insurance for Rempe. Given the lack of word on his injury, he may have a longer term injury. This is just how the Rangers manage injury news, as the mid-range injuries like Trocheck’s never get fully disclosed. This feels like a multiple week injury for Rempe, which tracks with Othmann’s recall.
If the Rangers fail to put Othmann in the top six, replacing Sheary, then it is a severe missed opportunity. The Rangers scoring issues aren’t going to magically disappear. They don’t have the skill anymore. They need another player who can put the puck in the net, and as long as Othmann finds space, he could be a potential solution to the Rangers scoring issues. If he plays.
Mike Sullivan deserves the benefit of the doubt, if only because he’s only been here a month. New coaches deserve to show what their plans are, and not be subjected to knee-jerk reactions of a fanbase that has been let down by so many prior coaches and front office staff personnel. Since it was Othmann that got recalled and not someone like Justin Dowling or Anton Blidh, it suggests Othmann will get top six time to help address the Rangers scoring issues.
We won’t know until we see practice lines, but this would be a significant missed opportunity to both boost Othmann’s trade value and address real issues with the club. It’s the right thing to do, not from a morality standpoint, but from a team needs standpoint.
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