In a surprising turn of events, the spotlight won't be on Connor Bedard, the highly anticipated first-round pick, during Thursday night's game at Madison Square Garden. Instead, all eyes will be on Brennan Othmann, the 16th overall selection of the 2021 draft for the New York Rangers, as he makes his NHL debut against the Chicago Blackhawks. Othmann's call-up from the Hartford Wolf Pack came late Wednesday, just in time for his 22nd birthday celebration on Friday.

The reason for Othmann's promotion is the unfortunate injury suffered by Tyler Pitlick, the checking winger who sustained a lower-body injury during Tuesday's devastating 6-1 defeat to the Carolina Hurricanes. Pitlick's absence is expected to be indefinite, with the team describing his status as “week-to-week” in the NHL's new terminology.

It's worth noting that Othmann, despite being in the midst of a nine-game goal-scoring drought, is not expected to fill Pitlick's role. Head coach Peter Laviolette will have to make some adjustments to the lineup to accommodate the young rookie. One option could be to shuffle the bottom-six by moving Jonny Brodzinski to center and forming a line with Othmann and Will Cuylle. Meanwhile, Barclay Goodrow would shift to the wing on a revamped checking unit alongside Jimmy Vesey and Nick Bonino. This line combination had been intact for eight of the team's first ten games, but their performance, especially in terms of peripheral numbers, has been disappointing.

Alternatively, Laviolette could make a more drastic move by elevating Othmann to the right wing spot on the highly productive Chris Kreider-Mika Zibanejad connection. This would require shifting Blake Wheeler to a revised bottom-six role. While this option may seem bold, it could provide an opportunity for Othmann to showcase his skills alongside the team's top offensive players.

Prior to his call-up, Othmann had been impressing in his first professional season with the Wolf Pack, tallying nine goals and 23 points in 28 games. It's important to note that his current goal-scoring drought comes after an impressive streak where he scored six goals in four games and seven goals in six games.

As the Rangers prepare to face off against the Blackhawks, all eyes will be on Brennan Othmann as he steps onto the NHL stage for the first time. The young forward will have the chance to prove himself and make an impact, filling the void left by Tyler Pitlick's injury. The team and fans alike will be eagerly watching to see how Othmann performs and how his presence will affect the team's dynamic moving forward.