Brennan Othmann’s NHL promotion nine games into the New York Rangers’ season comes as something of a surprise.
Othmann was called up from Hartford of the American Hockey League on Friday, hours after 6-foot-9 forward Matt Rempe was injured in a first-period fight with former Blueshirt Ryan Reaves during New York’s 6-5 overtime loss to the San Jose Sharks. He didn’t return and didn’t make the trip when the Rangers flew west to begin a road trip against Calgary Flames on Sunday.
The recall came after a lackluster preseason that saw Othmann assigned to the AHL ahead of Brett Berard and Gabe Perreault, offering reason to believe he had fallen behind them among the Rangers’ forward prospects.