Rangers’ Rookie Learns Valuable Lesson in Fight with Deslauriers

Don’t mess with Nicolas Deslauriers. That’s a lesson that most in the NHL have learned, and now, New York Rangers rookie forward Brennan Othmann knows the drill.

During Saturday’s Rangers vs. Flyers game, Othmann got crushed into the boards by Flyers’ forward Nicolas Deslauriers. New York’s 6’0″ rookie winger drew a boarding penalty on the play. However, it was what he did next that was noteworthy.

Without looking at who hit him, Othmann, 22, dropped the gloves and immediately stood up for himself. It was an impressive move from such a young winger, one that I am not so sure he’d do again.

Othmann on fight with Deslauriers

After the fight, Othmann admitted that next time he might approach things a little differently. Here is what he had to say to the New York Post’s Mollie Walker:

“I always stick up for myself, and I’ll try not to back down from anybody. And you know, maybe should probably look to see who hit me next time. I didn’t, really, to be honest, I didn’t see who hit me. I was just really fired up… It’s funny, I was telling some of the guys, as soon as he hit me with the first one, and then I saw the tatted knuckles pull away. I knew it was Deslauriers. You have respect for a lot of those guys, a lot of the heavyweights in the league… Next time, I’ll probably definitely take a look.”

Othmann showed a lot of moxie in the fight. It was an impressive move for the young player to get up and stand up for himself after a hit like that.

However, the rookie learned a very valuable lesson: check who you are about to drop the gloves with before you actually do. Oh, and do not mess with Nicolas Deslauriers.

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