3 Options the Rangers Have With Schneider Now Signed

The New York Rangers got one of their last pieces of offseason work done when they signed Braden Schneider to a one-year extension worth $5.5 million. They now have their defense locked up heading into this season, but just because they signed him does not mean he will be on the team come opening night. There is plenty of offseason left, and the Rangers are still trying to make this team better. In this piece, we will go over three options the team now has with Schneider signed for this season.

Rangers Could Still Trade Him This Offseason

Now that Schneider has a contract and teams around the league know what he’s making, it could be easier to trade him now than before. Any team that brings him in knows that he is trying to prove himself and that he is looking to turn this one-year deal into a multi-year extension next offseason. He will still be a restricted free agent, so the team that has him will still have control for at least one more season before he is eligible for unrestricted free agency. He is a 24-year-old right-shot defenseman who can skate and play physical when he needs to. Any team looking to improve their defense could look to bring him in.

For the Rangers, they have made it clear they won’t just give Schneider up for draft picks. It seems the only way they would trade him is if they got back a young NHL-ready player who could step into their top-nine forward group this season. They obviously have not gotten that kind of offer for him yet, which is why he is still on the team after months of trade rumors. The Rangers don’t want to make the same mistake with him as they did with K’Andre Miller, who they traded to the Carolina Hurricanes last offseason, and he was a key player in their Stanley Cup victory. If they don’t get an offer that they like, they will hold onto him and start the season with him on the roster.

Play Schneider on the Third Defensive Pair

If Schneider does end up sticking around heading into the season, his role will likely be one he’s been used to playing for the Rangers. With Adam Fox and now Sean Durzi ahead of him, Schneider is the team’s third most important right-handed defenseman, which means he would get third-pairing minutes. This has been his role for most of his time with the Rangers, and anytime they have tried to give him more opportunity, it has not gone well. Last season, when Fox got hurt and Schneider had to play top-pairing minutes with Vladislav Gavrikov, it was clear that he was not ready and was holding Gavrikov back.

If he ends up playing on the third pair again this season, it could be the best spot for him, given his lack of success when given more opportunity. While it might not be the role he wants, it’s clear the Rangers didn’t view him as a clear top-four defensive option, which is why they went out and got Durzi and traded for Marcus Pettersson. Playing him in a sheltered role against lesser competition is the best use for Schneider right now, given the way the team is built. Maybe playing in that role helps him gain more confidence, and if he is needed to play higher in the lineup, it won’t be as hard for him if he has the confidence that he can play well.

Schneider Plays Himself Into a Long-Term Extension

While many fans want Schneider to be traded or only see him as a bottom-pair defenseman, there is always a chance that he shows he’s more than that. Players on any team could have breakout seasons at any time that no one ever expects to happen, and maybe this season, Schneider could be that player. He has all the tools to be a solid defenseman in the NHL; he just hasn’t been able to put it all together yet. He can skate well, plays physically, and is tougher than many think he is. If he can find himself some new confidence and comes into the season with a chip on his shoulder, this could be the best season of his career yet.