The New York Rangers have checked another item off the summer to-do list by locking up depth defenseman Braden Schneider for another two seasons. With multiple big-name players approaching the end of their contracts next year, GM Chris Drury did not have much wiggle room to hand out a large contract this year. Despite this, he handled the Schneider contract well and provided a solid team-friendly bridge deal.
Rangers sign Schneider to a 2 x $2.2 million deal
Per Elliotte Friedman, Schneider’s two-year deal comes with an average annual value of $2.2 million. After signing this deal, the Blueshirts will be left with just over $5 million in cap space to sign fellow defenseman Ryan Lindgren to a new contract as well.
The Schneider contract is one that benefits both the organization and the player. At just 22 years old, Schneider has plenty of time to prove himself on this short-term deal and potentially earn a massive pay raise just two years from now. The low value also benefits the Rangers, who now have more flexibility to extend larger contracts to upcoming 2025 free agents Alexis Lafreniere and Igor Shesterkin.
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What role will Schneider play this season?
Now that Schneider is secured to the roster for this upcoming season, it’s safe to assume that he will earn a larger role moving forward. He’s spent most of his career on the Rangers’ third defensive pairing, but will likely move up following the departure of Erik Gustafsson and Jacob Trouba’s statistical decline.
It would be interesting to see Schneider team up with K’Andre Miller as New York’s second defensive unit. Both are larger forwards with unique physical attributes and could become a powerhouse on the ice if Peter Laviolette opts to give Schneider a chance in a more prominent role.
