The Rangers (35-32-7) also have eight games left to play, but they are in a stronger position in the Eastern Conference race for the second wild card. They are currently tied in points with the Montreal Canadiens, though Montreal holds the second wild card spot, having played one fewer game than New York.
In addition to Chytil, the Canucks have recently been missing forwards Elias Pettersson and Nils Höglander, both of whom sustained injuries during a 5-3 loss to the Rangers at Madison Square Garden on March 22. They have also had to deal with the extended absence of their top goaltender, Thatcher Demko, due to knee issues, while star defenseman Quinn Hughes has missed time as well.
Before being traded to the Rangers, Miller was sidelined for 10 games with the Canucks due to a personal leave of absence.
Chytil entered Rangers training camp in good health and high spirits, delivering a strong start to the season while centering the third line. However, the only remaining member of that line is Will Cuylle, who ranks fourth on the team with 18 goals. Kaapo Kakko was dealt to the Seattle Kraken in December in exchange for defenseman Will Borgen, and Chytil was traded to Vancouver in late January.
If Chytil’s season is over, he will have finished with 26 points (13 goals, 13 assists) across 56 games split between the Rangers and Canucks. Surprisingly, that would mark the second-highest point total of his career, trailing only the 45 points (22 goals, 23 assists) he recorded in his breakout 2022-23 campaign.
Since being called up from Hartford of the AHL in late February, Othmann has played in 16 of the past 17 games. Although he has only two assists, the 22-year-old has been making an impact with his physical play and net-front presence.
After spending most of his time on the fourth line, Othmann recently earned a promotion to a line with Artemi Panarin and Vincent Trocheck. Despite still searching for his first NHL goal, he has looked comfortable in the role. His goal-scoring ability isn’t in question—he netted 50 goals in a junior season and tallied 21 as a rookie pro in Hartford last year.
Against the Sharks, Othmann nearly scored, breaking past San Jose’s defenders for a quality chance, but his backhand attempt hit the side of the net. He also generated another strong opportunity with a right-wing shot off the rush, but Sharks goaltender Alexandar Georgiev made the save.
However, Othmann did register a point with a beautiful assist on Adam Fox’s second-period goal that extended the lead to 3-0. After receiving a quick pass from Mika Zibanejad at the right point, Othmann delivered a seamless cross-ice feed to set up Fox for an easy finish.
Head coach Peter Laviolette emphasized the importance of young talents like Othmann and Perreault continuing to build confidence at the NHL level.
Perreault, who is expected to make his NHL debut against the Minnesota Wild on Wednesday at Madison Square Garden, has received high praise from Laviolette.
“His vision, hands, and ability to read and create plays are at a very high level,” the coach remarked.
Perreault’s arrival on Tuesday led to some adjustments among the forward lines. Othmann remained alongside Trocheck and Panarin, while Perreault was placed on a line with J.T. Miller at center and Alexis Lafrenière on the opposite wing. The setup should give the talented rookie a strong chance to succeed, with Miller’s experience and physical presence providing support as Perreault continues to develop his 5-foot-11, 178-pound frame.
“I think ‘Laf’ sees the game in a similar way to Perreault, and J.T. has been around long enough to help mentor and shape him on the ice,” Laviolette explained.
The third line featured Mika Zibanejad centering Chris Kreider and Will Cuylle, while Jonny Brodzinski shifted to the fourth line alongside Sam Carrick and Brett Berard.
Juuso Pärssinen and Nicolas Aubé-Kubel served as extra forwards, with Aubé-Kubel appearing to be the odd man out following Perreault’s arrival, despite playing in the previous three games.
With Perreault transitioning to the pro level, Othmann continuing to improve, and Berard also getting an opportunity, the Rangers’ present and future are beginning to merge. All of it will be on display Wednesday when they take on the Wild at Madison Square Garden.