Brennan Othmann is off the unsigned RFA list, and the terms tell you exactly where his career stands right now.
The Calgary Flames re-signed Othmann to a one-year, two-way deal worth $975,000 at the NHL level and $220,000 in the AHL.
Othmann posted just 3 points in 19 games last season, going minus-8 for a Flames team that finished 34-39-9.
That's a rough return for a player selected 16th overall by the New York Rangers back in 2021, a pick that hasn't panned out the way Toronto or the Rangers organization once hoped.
Since his NHL debut three years ago, Othmann has appeared in just 44 total games at the top level, managing 2 goals and 5 assists in under 10 minutes of average ice time.
The minors have been a completely different story. Othmann has posted 92 points in 134 AHL games, production that suggests real offensive ability that just hasn't translated up yet.
He's likely ticketed for a season in the AHL to start, another chance to work his way back into Calgary's lineup after a difficult stretch at the NHL level.
Why the remaining unsigned RFAs matter so much more
Othmann's signing leaves only three notable RFAs still unsigned across the league, and all three carry far more weight for their franchises.
Columbus center Adam Fantilli, Carolina defenseman Alexander Nikishin, and Detroit defenseman Simon Edvinsson remain the last real holdouts heading into the season.
Of those three, only Edvinsson is actually in camp with his team, with a new deal expected soon now that Detroit finally has a GM in place.
That contrast says a lot. Othmann's deal closed quickly because the stakes were low. Fantilli, Nikishin, and Edvinsson remain unresolved precisely because so much more rides on each of those numbers.
Head coach Ryan Huska gets a low-cost depth option to keep developing, while three other franchises still wait on deals that will shape their rosters for years.
Whether Othmann ever cracks Calgary's lineup for good is a much smaller story than what happens with the three names still holding out.
Can Brennan Othmann still develop into a full-time NHL contributor?
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