TORONTO \u2014 The New York Rangers are open to the idea of trading 2021 first-round pick Brennan Othmann, according to a league source. The possibility was first reported by Sportsnet, which suggested Thursday that Othmann\u2019s name was \u201cgaining traction\u201d among other NHL teams.<\/p>\n
No formal trade request has been made by Othmann\u2019s camp, according to the source, but there\u2019s recognition from both sides that \u201ca fresh start\u201d might be in the 22-year-old forward\u2019s best interest.<\/p>\n
Othmann entered last month\u2019s training camp with hopes that he would earn a place in the Rangers\u2019 lineup, but his performance underwhelmed. New York rolled him out for each of its first four preseason games while using him in multiple spots throughout the top nine, but he registered only one point (a goal) with a 35.85 percent expected goals-for rate, per Natural Stat Trick.<\/p>\n
Still, it was somewhat surprising \u2014 but also telling \u2014 that the Rangers assigned him to AHL Hartford a week before camp ended. Coach Mike Sullivan expressed a belief that the 6-foot, 192-pounder was still going through the \u201cexploratory process\u201d of trying to figure out his best role at the NHL level.<\/p>\n
What the team needed to see more of, Sullivan added, was \u201cconscientious play, attention to detail, defensively away from the puck, playing within structure, having some predictability and reliability and dependability around his game.\u201d<\/p>\n
Fellow forward prospects Brett Berard and Gabe Perreault were also assigned to Hartford, but both made it further into camp and have seemingly passed Othmann in the organizational pecking order. Perreault, a 2023 first-round pick and consensus top prospect in the organization<\/a>, is the only one from that trio who\u2019s considered off the table, the source said.<\/p>\n The signing of veteran Conor Sheary, who was inked to a one-year deal after coming to camp on a professional tryout agreement, further crowded the situation and took away a potential lineup spot from the kids.<\/p>\n It\u2019s unclear what kind of return would entice team president Chris Drury. The sense is that he\u2019s gauging interest in Othmann but isn\u2019t necessarily in a rush to make a deal. There is a fine line between holding out for the best value and allowing the market to fizzle, which the Rangers have struggled to navigate in the past.<\/p>\n It\u2019s also unclear whether Othmann, who\u2019s in the final season of his entry-level contract and will become a restricted free agent next summer, will press the issue. A call from\u00a0The Athletic\u00a0to his agent, Patrick Morris, was not immediately returned.<\/p>\n The Pickering, Ont., native notched an assist on Hartford\u2019s only goal in its opening game of the 2025-26 season on Saturday and has collected 70 points (33 goals and 37 assists) in 95 career AHL games. He missed more than two months early in last season due to an upper-body injury, but was recalled by the Rangers in late February and played 22 NHL games.<\/p>\n