Rangers Daily: Solid Braden Schneider strategy ahead of NHL Trade Deadline
Since Adam Fox returned from his second extended injury absence, Braden Schneider’s shifted to a new role on the New York Rangers defense corps.
The 24-year-old moved to his off (left) side to play on the second pair with Will Borgen. This after Schneider stepped into Fox’s spot on the right side of the top pair for 27 games this season, first when Fox sustained an upper-body injury and missed most of December, and then when he was out almost all of January with a lower-body injury.
Schneider didn’t exactly wow anyone on the top pair with Vladislav Gavrikov. But the feeling remains that he’s better than a third-pair defender, which is where he began this season and spent most of his first four seasons in the League.
With right-shot defenders Fox and Borgen each signed for a number of years, and righties Vincent Iorio and Scott Morrow best suited for third-pair minutes, the Rangers played it right — pardon the pun — with Schneider. For a number of reasons.
Whether the Rangers keep Schneider or move him ahead of the NHL Trade Deadline on Friday, it makes perfect sense to test him on his off side. Increase his trade value, or let him prove why his versatility is another reason to keep him.
Keep in mind that Schneider is a restricted free agent with arbitration rights at the end of this season. A year ago, K’Andre Miller was in the same position, and the Rangers decided they didn’t want to invest in him with a big raise and long-term commitment. So, the Rangers traded Miller to the Carolina Hurricanes on July 1 for a package that included Morrow and a 2026 first-round pick.
One key difference here is that Miller was one year away from becoming an unrestricted free agent. Schneider can be a UFA in 2028. So, the Rangers could keep him on another bridge-type deal, and kick the can down the road a bit.
But the point here is that the Rangers are playing this one well. They traded Carson Soucy, a veteran left-shot defenseman who’s on an expiring contract, to the Islanders, knowing that when Fox returned, Schneider could shift sides and be tested on the second pair.
So far, so good. Schneider, as he has in brief left-side looks in the past, seems comfortable in his new role. He and Borgen each are physical D-men, and show the early makings of being a solid shut-down pair. Schneider is less exposed in this role, than on the top pairing, where his lack of scoring (two, goals, nine assists in 60 games) and atrocious 43.67 percent expected goal share, per Natural Stat Trick, really stood out.
It doesn’t feel like the Rangers move Schneider ahead of the deadline Friday — unless, that is, someone absolutely blows them away. But that seems unlikely.
So this gives him a window of 22 games to further prove his worth as a member of the Rangers core moving forward. Or improve his stock, should the Rangers try to trade him this summer.
New York Rangers news and analysis
Our Lou Orlando breaks down all that ESPN’s Emily Kaplan recently said about the Rangers ahead of the trade deadline, including the fact that they are underwhelmed by offers for Vincent Trocheck.
So, why does Ryan O’Reilly’s eye injury the other day affect the Rangers and their hopes to trade Trocheck for a significant package. We break it all down for you.
ICYMI: newest Rangers prospect Liam Greentree is absolutely on fire, and was named OHL Player of the Week for his three-game explosion with the Windsor Spitfires.
ICYMI: here’s what’s next and what to expect for the Rangers after J.T. Miller landed on IR with an upper-body injury.
Before being called up on Tuesday, Juuso Parssinen and his resurgence in the minors was the main topic in Ricky Milliner’s Hartford Wolf Pack Weekly.
The Athletic ($$): Stick tap to Peter Baugh for his one-on-one interview with Fox, who explains why he’s holding off on going all-in about staying with the Rangers during this retool.
RINK RAP: Our latest podcast is posted here on YouTube, with a deep dive into pre-trade deadline thoughts and opinions, trade ’em or keep ’em segment, how one player can make this miserable season a success for the Rangers, and Fox’s ambiguous stance on his Blueshirts future.
NHL news and rumors
NHL.com: One day after acquiring steady defenseman Connor Murphy from the Chicago Blackhawks, the Edmonton Oilers made another deal with them, unloading Andrew Mangiapane with a first-round pick for forwards Jason Dickinson and Colton Dach.
TSN: Darren Dreger reports that the Vegas Golden Knights are close to picking up center Nic Dowd in a trade with the Washington Capitals.
New Jersey Hockey Now: James Nichols makes the case that the Devils should trade Cody Glass for one reason, and one reason only.
USA Today: The Utah Mammoth took a significant swing ahead of the trade deadline, acquiring defenseman Mackenzie Weegar from the Calgary Flames for five assets.
Sportsnet: The Vancouver Canucks continue to sell, dealing defenseman Tyler Myers to the Dallas Stars for a second-round draft pick.
Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Dan Kingerski breaks down all that Penguins GM Kyle Dubas had to say with the trade deadline looming and his team in a surprisingly strong playoff position.
The Athletic ($$): Jesse Granger does a great job analyzing why Sergei Bobrovsky is worth the risk to acquire for a contending team in need of a goalie upgrade ahead of the deadline.
