Brennan Othmann has come into the New York Rangers rookie camp with a different mindset.
This past season, Othmann got a 22-game audition with the Rangers and while he showed some positive flashes, he failed to score a goal during that time frame.
Not being able to get on the stat sheet with a goal impacted Othmann as he began to lose confidence in himself.
“It just wasn’t going in,” Othamann said. “It wasn’t like I was playing bad hockey, but it just wasn’t going in. That takes a toll on your mind, and that is something that not everybody prepares you for that side of the game.”
After experiencing the trials and tribulations of NHL play, Othmann decided to change up his trainer and whole offseason training program.
He worked out at the gym of hockey performance expert, Gary Roberts, along with some of the top NHL players in the world, including Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Gabriel Landeskog, Sean Durzi, and Quinton Byfield.
“I just thought at this point it’s just time to kind of make a change,” Othmann said about his change of trainers. “They helped me gain my confidence back that I didn’t really have here towards the end of the year, so they did a great job.”
On top of his on-ice training, Othmann gained some muscle this summer and said that he weighed in at about 195 pounds.
“You just want to put on as much size and muscle as you can, and then after that, once you stop growing, and that’s kind of your making, make and model,” said Othmann. “I had all the engines for the car, and Gary and his staff built the car.”
Othmann has been attending Rangers rookie camp for many years now, but that didn’t stop him from coming back this season.
The 22-year-old forward views rookie camp as an opportunity to grow and improve as a player.
“Doing camp here is just another confidence builder,” Othmann said. “We discussed coming here, and at the end of the day, I wanted to because it helps with confidence. It gets you ready for main camp, and it gives you a week’s head start.”
With training camp just around the corner, Othmann will compete to earn a spot on the Rangers’ opening-night roster.
Last season, Othmann finally got a crack at some NHL action, but now he’s looking to carve out a permanent spot with the Blueshirts.
During the first day of rookie camp, Othmann was sentimental when discussing his love for hockey and his career.
Regardless of what transpires at training camp, Othmann is confident in himself and his pathway into the NHL.
“I’m brutally honest, I’m not worried about my abilities or when I’m going to play in the NHL, I will play in the NHL at some point,” Othmann stated. “Whether it’s this year or whenever, I’m going to play in the NHL. I’m just confident in my ability as a player…
“I don’t know what other job I’d rather be doing. I’m a professional hockey player going on my third year now, like, it’s exactly what I want to do. Obviously, in the NHL, but I’m a professional hockey player. I get here, I work out, I skate, I laugh, I have fun. That’s the best part of it, being around guys that you love and guys that love you back.”
