It was a time to take a breath but hardly a time to rest for Rangers rookie Brennan Othmann.
Following the whirlwind surrounding his NHL debut the previous night, Othmann was one of only four Rangers to take the ice at an optional skate Friday ahead of their road game Saturday against the Canadiens.
One day after the former first-round pick made a strong first impression with a team-high five-shot effort in a win over the Blackhawks.
Othhman celebrated his 21st birthday Friday with an appealing present at the team’s practice facility in Tarrytown.
“I had the chance to shoot on Jonathan Quick this morning,” a beaming Othmann said about the Rangers’ backup goalie — a two-time Stanley Cup champion and a former All-Star earlier in his career with the Kings. “So that was pretty cool.”
Othmann, the 16th overall pick in the 2021 draft out of the Ontario Hockey League, was on the ice with Quick, regularly scratched defenseman Zac Jones and injured winger Kappo Kaako, who again wore a red noncontact jersey.
Othmann was called up Thursday for his first NHL appearance after registering nine goals and 14 assists in his first 28 pro games for AHL Hartford.
Othmann mostly skated Thursday on a line alongside forwards Nick Bonino and Jonny Brodzinski, although he earned one shift with top-liners Chris Kreider and Mika Zibanejad.
Laviolette noted that center Adam Edstrom similarly had been called up in mid-December and scored a goal in his NHL debut, although he is week-to-week with an upper-body injury.
“I think our affiliate down in Hartford and the coaches have done a really good job supporting us with players to be ready to play, recommending the players that we need, and the players that are playing well for them to come up,” Rangers coach Peter Laviolette said Friday. “And then it’s just about filling the holes and filling the spots inside of our team. But I do think that the guys that have come up have played well.
“I thought that Brennan played a really good game last night. He was noticeable with the puck, with his speed, creating, and that’s a real positive first game for him. … So it’s nice that these players can come up and be inserted into the lineup and be effective for us.”
Othmann said that he also regularly keeps in touch with two other top prospects in the Rangers’ pipeline: 2023 first-rounder Gabe Perrault and 2023 third-rounder Drew Fortescue, who were members of Team USA’s squad that captured the gold medal Friday at the World Junior Championships in Sweden.
Othmann was summoned from the minors to replace veteran forward Tyler Pitlick, who is out indefinitely with a lower-body issue, giving the rookie another chance to impress Saturday in Montreal.
“I think I played well,” said Othmann, who had an even rating over 12:26 of ice time. “I wasn’t too concerned or worried about trying to score. I just wanted to play and try to get a couple of shots on net, and just have fun. I think just getting the first one out of the way, [Friday] all the way was good. It’s easier because you’re going onto the second game and hopefully more after that, and you’re kind of settling in.
“I think it’s gonna take a few days just to get used to everyone. It’s a lot different than preseason, but [Thursday] night was definitely a surreal moment. I’m very thankful and really happy I was able to experience that. This is a really good group here and a really good team, so I’m just lucky to be here and want to make the best of the time that I’m here.”
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