NY Post Most Intriguing Rangers Going Into Camp

[RangersIn7]

4 hours ago, Pete said:

First off, players should develop in leagues other than the NHL...but you should bring them along and place them in roles where they can have immediate success. If middle 6 is where they project to land, and Othmann projects middle 6, there's nothing wrong with bringing him along slowly. 

 

Again, Tyler Seguin broke in on the Bruins 3rd line. Krieder didn't step into top line minutes. JT Miller same thing. Marc Staal started on the 3rd pair. All 1st rounders. 

 

Yea, I don't agree with that post at all.

I should clarify. That post is ill worded. 
im talking initial development at the professional levels. 

I mean that if you’ve got the option of moving the guy to the minors, vs the NHL and playing him less. I’d rather the guy play more at first in the A than less in the NHL. 
That’s what I’m getting at. 
 

Kreider played quite a bit in Hartford. Around 50 games. 
 

Othmann’s shot is an x-factor potentially. He could be better than what a lot of us are thinking he will be. 

[LindG1000]

I see no good reason to rush Othmann into the NHL. We're overflowing at LW - he's not beating Panarin, Kreider, or Lafreniere out for a spot. He's not getting any of the advantages you'd want to give a rookie forward, he's not beating out Kakko or Wheeler for a top 6 RW spot, and there's no value in burying the guy on the third line and also playing him on his off wing when he could be playing 20 minutes a night in Hartford, getting PP1 and PK1 time, working on his skating and game speed....I'm not seeing a reason for him to break camp with the team here.

 

Bring him in for the playoffs if he clears the bar in Hartford. 

 

For me, the most intriguing Ranger is Laviolette. There's good reason to break up some Quinn-Gallant mainstay pairs/lines and I'm curious how he chooses to utilize certain players differently. 

 

 

[RangersIn7]

1 minute ago, LindG1000 said:

I see no good reason to rush Othmann into the NHL. We're overflowing at LW - he's not beating Panarin, Kreider, or Lafreniere out for a spot. He's not getting any of the advantages you'd want to give a rookie forward, he's not beating out Kakko or Wheeler for a top 6 RW spot, and there's no value in burying the guy on the third line and also playing him on his off wing when he could be playing 20 minutes a night in Hartford, getting PP1 and PK1 time, working on his skating and game speed....I'm not seeing a reason for him to break camp with the team here.

 

Bring him in for the playoffs if he clears the bar in Hartford. 

 

For me, the most intriguing Ranger is Laviolette. There's good reason to break up some Quinn-Gallant mainstay pairs/lines and I'm curious how he chooses to utilize certain players differently. 

 

 

Yeah.

Let him play at Hartford for a while and see how he does.

[Drew a Penalty]

Trivigno is a guy I see as a dark horse. His numbers were unspectacular in Hartford but he’s better than the numbers imply. Speed, jam, skill. He’s not really someone whose development you have to worry about. He’ll be one of the last cuts.
 

I’d throw Henriksson into the mix here too. He’s a worse skater and less skilled, but he was one of Knoblauch’s soldiers all year long. I think a defensive center stands more of a chance to make an impression than an offensive type at the moment.

[Pete]

21 minutes ago, RangersIn7 said:

I should clarify. That post is ill worded. 
im talking initial development at the professional levels. 

I mean that if you’ve got the option of moving the guy to the minors, vs the NHL and playing him less. I’d rather the guy play more at first in the A than less in the NHL. 
That’s what I’m getting at. 
 

Kreider played quite a bit in Hartford. Around 50 games. 
 

Othmann’s shot is an x-factor potentially. He could be better than what a lot of us are thinking he will be. 

Got it, makes sense.

[Ozzy]

1 hour ago, LindG1000 said:

I see no good reason to rush Othmann into the NHL. We're overflowing at LW - he's not beating Panarin, Kreider, or Lafreniere out for a spot. He's not getting any of the advantages you'd want to give a rookie forward, he's not beating out Kakko or Wheeler for a top 6 RW spot, and there's no value in burying the guy on the third line and also playing him on his off wing when he could be playing 20 minutes a night in Hartford, getting PP1 and PK1 time, working on his skating and game speed....I'm not seeing a reason for him to break camp with the team here.

 

Bring him in for the playoffs if he clears the bar in Hartford. 

 

For me, the most intriguing Ranger is Laviolette. There's good reason to break up some Quinn-Gallant mainstay pairs/lines and I'm curious how he chooses to utilize certain players differently. 

 

 

 

As much as I wanna see Othmann, I think you're right, G Man.  There will be a time and a place for him.  Maybe the playoffs or possibly if someone gets injured.  We've been fairly lucky the past 2 seasons with that, I don't wanna jinx it, but that's really the only waqy I think we see him this season.

[RangersIn7]

51 minutes ago, Ozzy said:

 

As much as I wanna see Othmann, I think you're right, G Man.  There will be a time and a place for him.  Maybe the playoffs or possibly if someone gets injured.  We've been fairly lucky the past 2 seasons with that, I don't wanna jinx it, but that's really the only waqy I think we see him this season.

He’s only 20 and has zero professional experience aside from camp and IIRC a few preseason games last season. 
He’s not playing more than 10 minutes a night in the NHL right now unless he somehow turns into an immediate force. And he’s likely to sit and watch some nights if he’s on the NHL roster. 

Let him go to Hartford. Play every night. Play at least a fair number of minutes. Get better opportunities. Get professional experience. 
If he is ready this season, you’ll know within 35-50 games down there. 

 

 

[The Dude]

22 hours ago, RangersIn7 said:

You shouldn’t attempt to develop

any player, especially those drafted in the 1st round, on bottom-6 minutes.

Says who? The kid has middle 6 potential right now. He can play the necessary roles that come with the gig.

 

IMO his best traits are not going to be his scoring. High energy, pain in the ass, willingness to get dirty, willingness to play dirty are all there right now. If he can transfer his scoring ability that would be amazing.  I just don't think that his scoring is something that you're looking for from him early on. 

 

Just because Lafrenière supposedly couldn't develop in a 3rd liner role,  it doesn't mean other players with a different mindset can't. Othmann automatically brings the necessary tools to play bottom 6. Lafrenière didn't and it shows. 

[Drew a Penalty]

Othmann is not a high-energy player. He’s engaged, but he’s not at all high-energy. He’s intelligent and often looking for whatever way he can make himself useful in any given scenario. He’s not throwing himself around and attacking with speed. He’ll finish a check if it’s there. 
 

He should absolutely see AHL time. Othmann needs to figure out how he can play into the physicality of pro hockey, as well as just functioning at pro speed. He got away with a lot of hanging in the OHL that won’t fly in NHL play. Transition is my biggest concern with his game, his skating is missing that extra gear.

[The Dude]

11 hours ago, Drew a Penalty said:

Othmann is not a high-energy player. He’s engaged, but he’s not at all high-energy. He’s intelligent and often looking for whatever way he can make himself useful in any given scenario. He’s not throwing himself around and attacking with speed. He’ll finish a check if it’s there. 
 

He should absolutely see AHL time. Othmann needs to figure out how he can play into the physicality of pro hockey, as well as just functioning at pro speed. He got away with a lot of hanging in the OHL that won’t fly in NHL play. Transition is my biggest concern with his game, his skating is missing that extra gear.

He can play like a buzz saw. That's high energy to me.

 

Like I said,  my limited view of him is from last preseason and some highlights. Maybe Im seeing a concentrated view of him in saying that.

 

I see him always involved and constantly moving his feet. He's got good enough speed to create his own breaks to the net here and there. He seems to find his way to the front of the net. I consider him a bit hard nosed. He hits pretty hard when he has the opportunity. He kills penalties...  He can set the tempo of a game. He can play like a pest. . iDK...   I guess high energy isn't the correct term then? 

 

What would classify a player as high energy in your opinion?

[Drew a Penalty]

If you think Othmann plays like a buzzsaw then you’ve never spent any meaningful time watching him. Chase Stillman, a Devils prospect and Othmann’s linemate throughout the Memorial Cup, is a buzzsaw. Adam Sykora is a buzzsaw.

 

Other things:

 

Othmann does not kill penalties. 
 

I would not say he’s always moving his feet. He might be in some form of motion, like gliding, but he’s not running around the ice. He doesn’t have the speed, agility or conditioning for that. In the OHL he was cheating in some fashion to compensate for his speed, whether that was hanging to get ahead of the play, or sticking back to act as the trailer. I struggle to see him as being very effective on the rush in the NHL where there are players who will close gaps much faster.

 

What do I consider high-energy?

 

Someone who is always playing close to maximum energy. Someone who is always on top of play and ready to reload to attack again. A high energy player pushes the pace of play. 
 

That’s not Othmann. He can make plays that create energy, but he doesn’t have it in him to be a constant source of it. I will say this repeatedly, Othmann takes a far more measured approach to his game. 

[The Dude]

7 hours ago, Drew a Penalty said:

If you think Othmann plays like a buzzsaw then you’ve never spent any meaningful time watching him. Chase Stillman, a Devils prospect and Othmann’s linemate throughout the Memorial Cup, is a buzzsaw. Adam Sykora is a buzzsaw.

 

Other things:

 

Othmann does not kill penalties. 
 

I would not say he’s always moving his feet. He might be in some form of motion, like gliding, but he’s not running around the ice. He doesn’t have the speed, agility or conditioning for that. In the OHL he was cheating in some fashion to compensate for his speed, whether that was hanging to get ahead of the play, or sticking back to act as the trailer. I struggle to see him as being very effective on the rush in the NHL where there are players who will close gaps much faster.

 

What do I consider high-energy?

 

Someone who is always playing close to maximum energy. Someone who is always on top of play and ready to reload to attack again. A high energy player pushes the pace of play. 
 

That’s not Othmann. He can make plays that create energy, but he doesn’t have it in him to be a constant source of it. I will say this repeatedly, Othmann takes a far more measured approach to his game. 

Thanks for your input. I'll pay more attention to this stuff in camp and in his future. 

[Drew a Penalty]

42 minutes ago, The Dude said:

Thanks for your input. I'll pay more attention to this stuff in camp and in his future. 

As the guy who’s probably watched Othmann the most on this board, I want to make sure expectations are tempered when it comes to him. He’s a likable player and brings a unique skill set but there are evaluations out there that’ll have you thinking he’s more than what he is. 
 

If I had to give him a player comparable on the safe side, it’d be Dubinsky. It’s not an exact comparison, I think Dubinsky was naturally more aggressive and bombastic. Othmann is more of a rat and definitely has a shot that Dubinsky never had. Both of them have ugly strides, though, and mostly an average skill set. I think Othmann has more potential than Dubinsky because I do think he’s smarter and the shot is a big difference, but I’d keep Dubinsky as a starting point.

[siddious]

17 minutes ago, Drew a Penalty said:

As the guy who’s probably watched Othmann the most on this board, I want to make sure expectations are tempered when it comes to him. He’s a likable player and brings a unique skill set but there are evaluations out there that’ll have you thinking he’s more than what he is. 
 

If I had to give him a player comparable on the safe side, it’d be Dubinsky. It’s not an exact comparison, I think Dubinsky was naturally more aggressive and bombastic. Othmann is more of a rat and definitely has a shot that Dubinsky never had. Both of them have ugly strides, though, and mostly an average skill set. I think Othmann has more potential than Dubinsky because I do think he’s smarter and the shot is a big difference, but I’d keep Dubinsky as a starting point.

I’d take a Dubinsky on this team 

[Drew a Penalty]

5 minutes ago, siddious said:

I’d take a Dubinsky on this team 

Absolutely. How many Dubinskys are left in the league?
 

The Rangers missed Dubinsky the second they traded him.

[Pete]

13 minutes ago, Drew a Penalty said:

Absolutely. How many Dubinskys are left in the league?
 

The Rangers missed Dubinsky the second they traded him.

And the issue with Dubinsky was never with the player, it was Dubinsky the first liner (bad team) versus Dubinsky the third liner (on a good team) which is why we're thinking Othmann will wind up top tier 3rd liner, maybe and average or below 2nd liner. His shot is what separates him, as you said, so that will determine how effective he is as an offensive player. 

[Drew a Penalty]

18 minutes ago, Pete said:

And the issue with Dubinsky was never with the player, it was Dubinsky the first liner (bad team) versus Dubinsky the third liner (on a good team) which is why we're thinking Othmann will wind up top tier 3rd liner, maybe and average or below 2nd liner. His shot is what separates him, as you said, so that will determine how effective he is as an offensive player. 

Right. He’s somewhere in between complementary player and a secondary play driver on a line. There’s enough smarts and skill there to work off other good players, but I would never expect him to fully carry a line. A Ryan Strome if you will. You need players to make up for his shortcomings of which there are quite a few.
 

I’m curious as to how he approaches defense at the pro level. At the OHL level he was pretty disengaged and not really one to help out down low. He did most of his work above the dots and to one side of the ice. He doesn’t have the acceleration or edges to make quick adjustments or even really give chase if the puck or puck carrier get away from him. He’s more likely to get into a lane or put himself in a position to get away with legal interference. His play could sometimes come across as appearing lazy. I think it’s him recognizing that he’d be expending energy for what would be a lost cause – better for him to be ready for the next play. It also plays into his needing to hang in order to get any breakout going.

[Dem]

On 8/23/2023 at 10:22 AM, RJWantsTheCup said:

I'm curious to see if coaching actually helps Miller learn how to play defense.

Good luck w that!!

[Pete]

1 hour ago, Drew a Penalty said:

I’m curious as to how he approaches defense at the pro level. At the OHL level he was pretty disengaged and not really one to help out down low. He did most of his work above the dots and to one side of the ice. He doesn’t have the acceleration or edges to make quick adjustments or even really give chase if the puck or puck carrier get away from him. He’s more likely to get into a lane or put himself in a position to get away with legal interference. His play could sometimes come across as appearing lazy. I think it’s him recognizing that he’d be expending energy for what would be a lost cause – better for him to be ready for the next play. It also plays into his needing to hang in order to get any breakout going.

I wouldn't make any assumptions. He's a winger, so what you're describing here in bold is normal, on a structured team. Maybe we're just used to watching the Rangers be completely disorganized in their own zone. 

 

Let's wait and see. 

[Drew a Penalty]

1 hour ago, Pete said:

I wouldn't make any assumptions. He's a winger, so what you're describing here in bold is normal, on a structured team. Maybe we're just used to watching the Rangers be completely disorganized in their own zone. 

 

Let's wait and see. 

Yeah, I’m probably just worn down from no one doing it. I also think like a center, and not a wing so that also makes sense.