Calgary Flames' Brennan Othmann takes aim at former team with candid comments

Brennan Othmann seems quite happy to be with the Calgary Flames. Or, perhaps more accurately, he’s happy to no longer be with the New York Rangers.

The Flames acquired Othmann, a first-round pick in 2020, from the Rangers last season in exchange for forward prospect Jacob Battaglia.

At the time of the deal, the 23-year-old was struggling to earn consistent opportunities at the NHL level. While he’s continued to be in and out of the lineup this season with Calgary, it sounds as though he’s much happier with his new team.

Ahead of Wednesday night’s matchup against his former team, Othmann spoke with Mollie Walker of the New York Post about his frustrations with the Rangers organization. In particular, he felt he wasn’t given the same opportunities as some of his teammates.

“I thought that some got more of a leash than I did, and I was still a very good player,” Othmann said.

The forward also took issue with how little time he spent in the NHL during his final season in New York. He appeared in just 17 games with the Rangers in 2025-26, while spending another 26 with their AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack.

Othmann didn’t mince words when reflecting on that experience, describing the situation as “pretty egregious.”

He also acknowledged that his playing style may not have been what the Rangers’ coaching staff was looking for, but maintained that he had plenty to offer at the NHL level.

For now, Othmann gets an opportunity to prove that in Calgary, where he’ll look to establish himself as a regular contributor moving forward.

Wednesday’s game against New York wasn’t particularly memorable for the young forward, as he was relatively quiet in the Flames’ 2-1 loss. Still, his comments ahead of the game made it clear that he’s happy to have a fresh start with a new organization.