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2 key Rangers prospects must overcome same issue to thrive in NHL, per report
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- 2 key Rangers prospects must overcome same issue to thrive in NHL, per report
Danny Wild-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Gabe Perreault and Brennan Othmann are two of the New York Rangers ' top prospects, with expectations for each to play in the NHL this coming season. However, each forward must overcome the same issue in order to be a successful player at the highest level in the world.
In his annual breakdown of each team's best prospects, Corey Pronman of The Athletic noted that Perreault and Othmann each have below NHL average skating ability. More specifically, foot speed is an issue for each player.
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Despite that significant red flag, Pronman projects Perreault and Othmann to be middle-six forwards in the NHL. The respected NHL Draft and prospect expert ranked Othmann as New York's No. 2 prospect, with Perreault landing at No. 4. Pronman listed forward Malcolm Spence as the Rangers top prospect, and defenseman E.J. Emery ranked third.
Overall, Pronman projects seven current Rangers prospects to reach the NHL at some point in their careers. Centers Carey Terrance and Noah Laba (Nos. 5 and 6) and defenseman Scott Morrow (No. 7) followed the top four.
The Rangers were 24th out of 32 NHL teams in The Athletic's 2025 Pipeline Rankings of prospects age 22 or younger. Their overall grade was a C+. Last year, the Rangers ranked 15th.
Related: NHL offseason grades for Rangers, Metropolitan Division rivals
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'Lack of foot speed' issue for Rangers prospects Brennan Othmann, Gabe Perreault
Danny Wild-Imagn Images
Now, let's not overreact. Pronman has high praise for both Othmann and Perreault, first-round picks by the Rangers in 2021 and 2023, respectively. For example, he rated each forward as above NHL average in both puck skills and compete level. Othmann's shot is also considered above NHL average, as is Perreault's hockey sense.
And it's not the first time that Othmann and/or Perreault's skating ability is questioned.
Let's start with Othmann. Pronman pointed out that the 22-year-old, who's yet to score a goal in 25 games with the Rangers, "struggles at times with the NHL pace."
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"His skating isn't the best, and if he were to miss, it would be due to a lack of speed in his game."
Othmann scored 50 goals in 66 OHL games with Flint in 2021-22. He had 21 goals as a rookie pro with Hartford of the American Hockey League in 2023-24. But he's managed just two assists so far in the NHL, largely playing a bottom-six role.
Pronman likes most of what he sees from the 6-foot-1, 192-pound forward.
"He has great hands and offensive sense, and a shot that can finish chances from a distance," Pronman noted. "He plays quite hard, too. He's a physical and competitive forward who can frustrate opponents."
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That skill set would play up and down the Rangers lineup on any of their top three lines, as long as his lack of foot speed doesn't hold Othmann back.
Pronman was full of compliments for Perreault, too, especially coming off his successful two seasons at Boston College, where he totaled 108 points (35 goals, 73 assists) in 73 games.
"He's an extremely skilled and intelligent winger," Pronman explained. "He makes highly creative and unique dekes and passes with the puck at a high rate, both off the perimeter and in small areas. His puck game is clear NHL power-play quality, and he will score as a pro."
The 20-year-old was pointless in five games with the Rangers after he signed his entry-level contract last spring. Perreault didn't look out of place in the top six, averaging more than 14 minutes TOI. But he managed just five shots on goal, three of which came in his NHL debut against the Minnesota Wild on April 2.
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Is he ready for a full NHL season or will Perreault require time in the minors with Hartford? And how concerned is Pronman about Perreault's long-term NHL future?
"The issues with Perreault's game are his 5-foot-11 frame (180 pounds) and lack of foot speed. He's a competitive player, though, who gets to the inside even though he's not highly physical."
Lack of foot speed certainly hasn't held Perreault back at any level of hockey yet, in part, because of tremendous vision and high hockey IQ. But this is the NHL we are talking about now. So, let's keep Pronman's critique in mind when training camp begins in a few weeks.
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