Brennan Othmann will be out at least one month with an upper-body injury. The key New York Rangers prospect has a timetable of 4-6 weeks after he was injured more than a week ago playing for the Hartford Wolf Pack in the American Hockey League.
The 21-year-old forward, who played six preseason games with the Rangers and was among the final cuts at training camp, has five points (two goals, three assists) in three games with the Wolf Pack to begin the 2024-25 season. He scored 21 goals goals, second on the Wolf Pack, as a rookie pro last season.
Despite Othmann’s absence, Brett Berard and Benoit-Oliver Groulx are carrying the Wolf Pack’s production each is tied for the Wolf Pack lead with eight points. Each recorded a two-point performance in a 4-3 overtime win against Lehigh Valley on Friday. Berard leads Hartford and is tied for fifth in the AHL with five goals. Groulx has four goals and four assists.
Hartford secured two points this weekend, defeating Lehigh Valley and then suffering their first home loss of the season on Sunday, 5-2 to Springfield.
Related: Rangers NCAA prospects report, highlighted by Brody Lamb hat trick
Matt Rempe’s 2-game stint
Photo courtesy Hartford Wolf Pack
Assigned to Hartford before last weekend and recalled by the Rangers on Monday, Rempe appeared in two games with the Wolf Pack. The gritty forward was inserted as a center on the Wolf Pack’s second line, centering Adam Erne (left) and Jaroslav Chmelar (right). Hartford coach Grant Potulny utilized Rempe in multiple situations for the Wolf Pack, including power play and penalty kill. The 22-year old received playing time of 16+ minutes in the win Friday and played a bunch Sunday.
Rempe, who was scoreless and minus-3 in two games, focused on the little things of the game. For instance, he was winning a good number of face-offs. He also had good looks on the power play, especially positioning himself in front of the opposing goalie’s net to block the view and be able to deflect pucks. He was also in areas where there were rebounds, especially on his line where they utilized Rempe’s strength and attempted to crash the crease. The penalty kill gave him good looks, clogging passing lanes and kept his game simple.
The Rangers wanted Rempe to get playing time and remain sharp before returning to New York, where he’s played just two games this season.
Defensive struggles persist
Another notable aspect from games this past weekend is the continuation of defensive breakdowns. The Wolf Pack have allowed four or more goals in five of six games. An improvement was noted in the win Friday when the Wolf Pack allowed three goals. The struggles returned in Sunday, tying a season high with five goals against. Though Hartford is 3-2-0-1, is is teetering on a line where the defensive struggles could haunt the Wolf Pack long term.
Potulny correctly stated this current trend is unsustainable. Room for improvement defensively is necessary, especially with a tougher slate of games coming up. This week’s slate of games will be a measure on how the team responds defensively.
The pairings defensively have not changed much and there could be shakeup soon to right the ship. The defensive core has experience and Potulny needs to find the right chemistry for the pairings, which should be fortified with the addition of veteran Chad Ruhwedel. In addition, goalies Louis Domingue (1-2-1, 4.19 goals-against average, .873 save percentage) and Dylan Garand (2-0, 3.45 GAA, .889 save percentage) in net, which both have had lack of support. Each goalie has struggled slightly early on in need to be better too.
One Timers
- Nathan Sucese and Matthew Robertson returned to the lineup from injury. Robertson scored his forst goal of the season Friday. Alex Belzile was held out of the lineup last weekend and is day to day with an unspecified injury.
- With the addition of Chad Ruhwedel, Hartford assigned defensemen Case McCarthy and Ryan Siedem to Bloomington of the ECHL. Blake Hillman is the Wolf Pack’s seventh defenseman.
- The power play is on a four-game drought. After losing Othmann to injury, the club is 0-for-11 on the power play.
Upcoming Games
Wednesday, October 30th vs Grand Rapid Griffins (Red Wings) at 7pm, XL Center
- This is the first of two meetings in the season series. In the 2022-23 season,, Hartford swept the series (4-0 win, 6-4 win).
- Entering the week, Grand Rapids is 6-1-0 for 12 points. The Griffins are second in the Central Division and third in the Western Conference. They are on a five-game win streak.
- Three players are tied for the team lead in points. Amadeus Lombardi (four goals, two assists), Dominik Shine (two goals, four assists), and Austin Watson (six assists) each have six points in seven games.
- Listen – Mixlr. Watch – AHLTV.
Friday, November 1st vs Syracuse Crunch (Lightning) at 7pm, Upstate Medical Arena at the Oncenter War Memorial
- This is the first of two meetings in the season series. Hartford split the series with Syrause last season 1-1-0.
- Entering the week, Syracuse is 4-3-0 for eight points. The Crunch are third in the North Division and sixth in the Eastern Conference. Syracuse is 2-0-0 at home, and Hartford is looking for its first win on the road (0-1-0-1).
- Rookie Dylan Duke leads the Crunch with six points (three goals, three assists). Rookie Gabriel Szturc is second with five points (five assists).
- Listen – Mixlr. Watch – AHLTV.
Saturday, November 2nd vs Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (Pittsburgh) at 6:05pm, Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza
- This is the first of six meetings in the season series. The teams split the series 3-3-0 last season.
- Entering the week, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is 4-2-0 for eight points, third in the Atlantic Division and fifth in the Eastern Conference.
- Forwards Emil Bemstrom and Sam Poulin each have seven points in six games (two goals, five assists apiece). They are tied for the team lead in scoring.
- Listen – Mixlr. Watch – AHLTV.
