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Ranking the top 10 prospects for the NY Rangers: No. 5 forward Brennan Othmann

With training camp for the 2021-22 NHL season set to begin in less than a month, it's time to update the USA TODAY Network's annual ranking of the top prospects in the New York Rangers' organization. In the coming weeks, we'll publish a series of reports on each of our top 10 overall players in the system, as well as in-depth positional analysis. These rankings are based on conversations with Rangers GM Chris Drury and director of player development Jed Ortmeyer, coaches and trainers who have worked with these prospects, scouts from around the world and other sources. Any players who are 25 or younger and have played fewer than 25 NHL games are eligible for consideration.

No. 5: Forward Brennan Othmann

New York Rangers prospect Brennan Othmann played for the Flint Firebirds in the OHL before COVID-19 forced the league to temporarily shut down.

As New York Rangers’ scouts studied Brennan Othmann in the lead-up to the 2021 NHL Draft, their imaginations were filled with possibilities.

Some saw a potential top-six winger with an "elite shot" who could also complement their high-end skill players with his edgier style of play.

Others saw a player who could excel in the bottom six due to his physicality and competitive spirit.

While his future place in the lineup is up for debate, one thing was certain when the Rangers were on the clock for the No. 15 overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft:

This was a player the organization coveted.

"In today's game, with such an emphasis on skill, to have the combination of skill and compete and grit to get on the inside is hard to find," Rangers director of player development Jed Ortmeyer said. "When he was there at that pick, we were really excited about getting him."

The 18-year-old, who says he models his game after Calgary's tough-and-energetic forward Matthew Tkachuk, has already played a variety of roles in his young career.

With the Don Mills Flyers under-16 program in Toronto, he was the No. 2 scoring option behind the projected No. 1 pick in the 2022 NHL Draft, Shane Wright. During the 2018-19 season, Wright piled up 72 points in 33 games while Othmann wasn't far behind with 64 (33 goals and 31 assists).

That earned Othmann the No. 2 overall selection in the 2019 OHL Draft. With the Flint Firebirds, he was asked to make his mark as "a glue guy" while playing mostly on third line. He posted 33 points (17 goals and 16 assists) in 55 games before COVID-19 hit and shut down the league for over a year.

In search of competition during the pandemic, the Scarborough, Canada native accepted the challenge to play for EHC Olten in Switzerland's top men's league.

"I thought it was the coolest thing in the world," Othmann said on the "New Ice City" podcast. "I was 17 at the time and I was knocking down guys that were 30 years old."

The 6-foot, 175-pounder finds fun in the physical side of the game — "He’s definitely not afraid to finish checks," said former Firebirds coach Eric Wellwood, who recalled "some massive hits" in their time together — but the Rangers believe there's much more to like.

Wellwood concurred.

"When I first saw him play, I was struck with how well he reads the game," he said. "His hockey IQ is extremely high. He can put himself into great spots and get shots off from there – and you can see how he does it, especially if you're watching from up top. He's also very good at, if somebody were to make a cross-ice pass and he's kind of in the middle, he can just one touch it to that guy. He knows where everybody's at all times. He makes a lot of high-end plays."

Othmann's quick release is among the first traits mentioned by scouts, but his former OHL coach insists his skill set is more diverse than that.

"People can misconstrue what he is because they see his shot, which is very strong, and they see the goals that he does score," said Wellwood, who now coaches the Newfoundland Growlers in the ECHL. "But I do think he’s very good at making plays (for his teammates) – very, very good."

While toughness and offense are Othmann's strengths, some scouts question his skating. One called it, "average," with the caveat that it's improved as he's matured physically.

"He creates separation with his mind, rather than his skating," Wellwood said. "It’s definitely not his strong suit, but it's not a hindrance, either."

Defense is another "area where he needs to work," according to Wellwood, who added that he has "no doubt in my mind that he's going to be able to pick it up" due to his aggressive nature and ability to understand game plans quickly.

"He would come to the bench, I could tell him something – draw it up on the whiteboard – and instantly, he picks it up," he said. "And even though he didn't play penalty kill for me, he has that capability. He's willing to block shots and he's willing to put his body on the line."

The Rangers share that confidence, with Ortmeyer pointing out that Othmann is already "hard on the forecheck" and adept at recovering pucks in one-on-one battles.

All of that helps explain why they passed on several quality center prospects — each of the following three picks were used on pivots — to take the hard-shooting winger with the mean streak

He'll likely end up back with Flint for another season of development, but he may soon work his way into the NHL conversation. And when he does, Ortmeyer said it will "add a lot of value" that he's perceived as "somebody you can move up and down your lineup."

"Over the years, I’ve had lots of roles," Othmann said. "If I need to be a playmaker, I’ll be a playmaker. If I’m told to score, I’ll score. If I need to be a complementary player, or play on the first line and get the two top guys the puck, I’ll do that. I’ll do anything the coach asks me to do."

ICYMI: Top 10 prospects for the NY Rangers

No. 10: Forward Brett Berard

No. 9: Forward Will Cuylle

No. 8: Forward Karl Henriksson

No. 7: Forward Morgan Barron

No. 6: Defenseman Matthew Robertson

No. 5:Forward Brennan Othmann

No. 4:Check back on Monday...

Vincent Z. Mercogliano is the New York Rangers beat reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Read more of his work at lohud.com/sports/rangers/ and follow him on Twitter @vzmercogliano.