Maybe it is for the best. Maybe the regulation in place under which the Rangers would have to return 19-year-old Brennan Othmann to his OHL Flint club if he does not make the varsity — rather than being allowed to assign the winger to the AHL Wolf Pack — will ultimately prove beneficial to both the player and the club.
But for a team that could well go into the season with projected top-nine right wings Sammy Blais, Vitali Kravtsov and Kaapo Kakko having combined to score seven NHL goals last year, insurance provided by the 2021 first-rounder surely could come in handy.
Yes, Alexis Lafreniere might well shift to the right, but that would open a top-nine slot on the left if Othmann were up to the task.
“I’m here to make an impression and to make the team,” Othmann told The Post before Thursday’s Garden exhibition against the Devils. “But it’s not the end of the world if I have to go back to junior.”
Othmann will turn 20 on Jan. 5, thus missing the cutoff for AHL eligibility by five days. The NHL-CHL agreement is an anachronism. Players out of college are allowed to be assigned to the AHL. Players out of European leagues may be assigned to the AHL. But not teenagers out of junior.
This agreement is in place to prevent Canadian junior league ownerships from losing marquee players to the AHL. But these teams routinely trade their stars if they fall out of the playoff picture. The NHL should worry about its own teams’ needs, not junior team operators. The CHL is hardly a mom-and-pop operation. It is big business.
Brennan Othmann during the Rangers-Islanders preseason game on Sept. 26, 2022. Getty Images
Again, though, maybe this regulation would protect the Blueshirts from rushing a 19-year-old into the pros. Still, GM Chris Drury and his staff should not be denied the opportunity to make that choice so that Flint might do better at the box office.
No NHL organization’s needs should be subservient to those of an independent entity. The CHL, by the way, has accounted for only 24 of the NHL’s 63 first-round draft selections the past two years.
“I didn’t even know about the rule until a couple of years ago when we had [Ty] Dellandrea drafted in the first round by Dallas,” Othmann said. “There’s nothing I can do about it. I’m not thinking about it. I want to stay here as long as possible.”
Othmann, who recorded 59 goals and 121 points for Flint before earning a Gold Medal with Team Canada in August’s World Junior Tournament, has been impressive through the first week of camp. Physically more mature than a year ago, he has mixed it up when the opportunity has been ripe. That is in addition to displaying his skill and his shot.
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“I feel a lot better, I think my speed has improved a lot, plus I’m more confident in my size and body,” said the 6-foot, 190-pounder, who had a couple of gives-and-takes with the Islanders on Tuesday.
“I think I play on that edge and bring grit to it. I want to make a name for myself. I want to be in the NHL for a long time.”
At the tail-end of Thursday’s morning skate, Othmann was tutored by Chris Kreider on one-timers from low in the circle. Kreider, who has been a mentor for 2021’s 16th-overall, was demonstrating how Othmann should adjust his hands for the shot.
“Chris was showing me how it’s better to lower my hands and get down low so I can get more leverage and be more accurate from low in the circle, putting it right over the pads, instead of taking the big backswing that I normally do,” Othmann said. “Taking it all the way back, there’s a better chance I’d miss the net.
“Anything I can soak in from Chris, I’m all in for that. I just want to learn as much as I can,” he said. “He’s one of the most respected players in the league so anything I can do to follow in his footsteps and be the best pro I can be, I’m here for that.
“It’s more than about on the ice. It’s being a pro with preparation, learning about nutrition and getting the proper rest. I want to be a great pro. Having this opportunity to learn from him and the other veterans in this room is something I value. Anything I can soak in is going to help me in my career.”
Brennan Othmann (left) playing for Canada in the World Junior Championships. AP
The Rangers, of course, could keep Othmann for a look-see up to nine games without triggering his contract. But cap concerns would seem to mitigate against that option. It will be interesting to see if management includes him in the group that will travel to Providence early next week for a three-day team-bonding exercise, but the next stop is almost certainly Flint.
“If I go back, I’ll take what I learned here and look to dominate,” Othmann said. “And I’ll try to pass that along to my younger teammates the way Chris is doing with me.”