Many of the New York Rangers’ stars had disappointing seasons, but a few important players took a step forward, including right-handed defenseman Braden Schneider. He was reliable despite many roster changes, while most of the team’s blueliners were inconsistent. He could be an option to play on his off side with Adam Fox on their top defense pair in 2025-26.
Schneider’s Play This Season
Despite playing fairly well since debuting for the Rangers at 20 years old during the 2021-22 season, Schneider did not move up from the third defense pair as Fox and Jacob Trouba played on the right side in their top four. He averaged 15:54 in ice time per game and finished with five goals, 14 assists, 167 hits, and 133 blocks while playing in all 82 regular-season games in 2023-24. In his first three NHL seasons, he had one goal and five assists in 43 playoff games while averaging 14:09 in ice time per game.
This season, Schneider got more ice time early on as Ryan Lindgren missed the Rangers’ first few games. Later in the season, they traded Trouba and Lindgren while acquiring defensemen Will Borgen, Urho Vaakanainen, Calvin de Haan, and Carson Soucy.
Throughout the lineup changes, Schneider played with physicality, contributed on the penalty kill, and made smart pinches in the offensive zone. He scored an important overtime goal in a 3-2 win over the Minnesota Wild on March 13 while the Rangers were still fighting for a playoff spot. He stepped up when Fox missed time and did a nice job playing on a pair with Vaakanainen.
Schneider spent time playing with Zac Jones , Victor Mancini, Vaakanainen, and he briefly played on his off side with Trouba. He remained consistent regardless of his partner and looked comfortable playing on the left side. He finished with career-highs in goals (six) and assists (15) and had 145 blocks and 146 hits in 80 games. He also tied for the second-best plus/minus on the Rangers at plus-9 and averaged 17:52 in ice time per game. He missed the final two games of the season to undergo surgery for a torn labrum.
The Rangers Need to Find the Right Defense Partner for Fox
Though Schneider did not spend a lot of time playing on the left side last season, he looked comfortable when he did, and there was no drop-off in his play. After trading away Fox’s long-time defense partner, Lindgren, the Rangers never found a replacement that succeeded on the top pair in 2024-25.
Fox briefly played with Vaakanainen but played with Soucy down the stretch after the Rangers acquired him from the Vancouver Canucks just before the trade deadline. The 6-foot-5 defenseman did have some good games, but he also had too many giveaways and made some mistakes in the defensive zone. He had one goal, two assists, and was plus-4 in 16 games with his new team. Though he is a capable NHL player, he did not look like a reliable partner for Fox.
In addition to acquiring Soucy, the Rangers acquired Will Borgen from the Seattle Kraken, and he quickly established himself as a top-four defenseman and had success playing on a pair with K’Andre Miller. He had four goals, nine assists, and was plus-9 in 51 games with the Blueshirts. His strong play earned him a five-year extension.
With Fox on the top pair and Borgen likely remaining on the second pair, Schneider would likely be stuck on the third pair again, unless he plays on the left side. Given that Soucy did not establish himself on the top pair and the Rangers do not have a lot of cap space to make moves in free agency, it makes sense to give Schneider an opportunity to play with Fox. He played well this season and deserves a bigger role. If he can play as well as he did in 2024-25, he may be their best option to play on their top pair.
Schneider Has Earned a Bigger Role
Though Schneider spent a lot of this season on the third pair, he was consistently one of the Rangers’ four best defensemen. He played well in his limited time on the left side, and while many of the team’s top players struggled, he had his best season.
The Rangers struggled to find a reliable defense partner for Fox this season, and Schneider could step into that role next season.
