The New York Rangers are shaking things up in their 100th year, with new coach Mike Sullivan trying to get the team back on track.
The top of their lineup looks pretty solid. Team captain J.T. Miller, Mika Zibanejad, and Artemi Panarin will be joined by Will Cuylle, Alexis Lafreniere and Vinny Trocheck in the top six forwards. They’ve also got their fourth line figured out, with giants Matt Rempe and Adam Edstrom flanking veteran Sam Carrick.
But there’s a real battle brewing for those third-line spots.
Veterans like Jonny Brodzinski, newcomer Taylor Raddysh, and Sullivan’s old reliable Conor Sheary came into camp with the inside track. Then there’s 24-year-old Jusso Parssinen, who showed some promise last year with five points in 11 games after coming over from Colorado.
But it’s the young guns who are really turning heads.
Brett Berard made quite an impression as a rookie last season, putting up six goals in just 35 games. He’s looked even better this preseason.
Then there’s Gabe Perreault, who wasn’t even supposed to be ready for the NHL yet. He’s been absolutely lighting it up with four points in four preseason games.
Big Noah Laba has been another surprise. The 22-year-old center has racked up four assists and even notched a game-winner this preseason.
With all this talent emerging, someone had to be the odd man out. That someone is Brennan Othmann.
It’s been a tough fall for the former first-round pick. The Rangers took him 16th overall in 2021, excited about his size, skating, and booming shot. But things just haven’t clicked.
Last season was his first real shot with the Rangers, and it wasn’t pretty. In 22 games, he managed just two assists. Even worse, a player known for his physical edge seemed to disappear on the ice, taking just one penalty all season.
The fresh start under Sullivan hasn’t helped. One power-play goal in four preseason games tells the story. He’s been fumbling passes, missing shots, and making costly mistakes that have led directly to goals against.
Today, the Rangers made it official, sending Othmann down to their AHL team in Hartford. He’ll get a chance to rebuild his game there, away from the bright lights of Madison Square Garden.
At 22, he’s still young enough to turn things around. But with all the talent pushing for spots in New York, his window of opportunity is closing fast.
