New York Rangers’ 2025-26 Report Cards: Braden Schneider – The Hockey Writers – New York Rangers

The New York Rangers had a disappointing season as many of their key players missed extended time with injuries or had down seasons. After spending the majority of his career as a third-pair defenseman, Braden Schneider had an opportunity to play a bigger role but did not cement a spot as a top-four blueliner.

Performance This Season

The Rangers made some big changes to their defense during the 2024-25 season as they moved on from two of their long-term top-four defensemen. They traded Jacob Trouba to the Anaheim Ducks and traded Ryan Lindgren to the Seattle Kraken. After the season, they continued to make big changes as they traded top-four defenseman K’Andre Miller to the Carolina Hurricanes and signed free agent Vladislav Gavrikov to a seven-season, $49 million contract.

Schneider was drafted 19th overall in the 2020 NHL Draft, earned a call-up during the 2021-22 season, and secured a spot on the Rangers’ third defense pair. As a righty, he was stuck on the third pair behind fellow righties Trouba and Adam Fox for a few seasons but had an opportunity to play a bigger role this season.

Early this season, the Rangers’ top pair of Fox and Gavrikov was excellent, and the rest of the team’s defensemen were defensive-minded players like Schneider, Will Borgen, and rookie Matthew Robertson, who earned a spot in the lineup. Schneider played with physicality and helped clear the front of the net on the penalty kill but did not produce much offensively. He had some frustrating giveaways but also made some strong plays in the defensive zone. He used his reach to get into shooting and passing lanes and blocked a lot of shots, especially on the penalty kill.

Schneider is a good skater and possesses ideal size and strength at 6-foot-3 and 206 pounds, but he did not frequently look to carry the puck or make plays in the offensive zone. However, he created opportunities on rebounds when he got shots through traffic and also gave teammates opportunities for deflections.

Fox spent two stints on long-term injured reserve, which meant more ice time for Schneider, but the Rangers struggled without their top defenseman and fell out of the playoff race. He continued to provide steady play but did not make a jump forward from 2024-25. He finished with two goals, 16 assists, 141 blocked shots, and 163 hits, while playing in all 82 games. He averaged a career-high 20:27 in ice time per game.

Schneider’s Role Going Forward

This was the final season of a two-season, $4.4 million contract, and Schneider is a restricted free agent. Though he was solid this season and has been durable throughout his time with the Rangers, he likely has not yet earned a long-term high-value contract.

Schneider will probably be competing with fellow right-handed defenseman Borgen for ice time next season. Both are physical with a defense-first mentality, and both played at a similar level this season. The Rangers should have a great top defense pair in Fox and Gavrikov, but they need to find another reliable pair. Matthew Robertson had a strong rookie season playing alongside Borgen, and 21-year-old blueliner Drew Fortescue showed promise as he played nine games late in the season on a pair with Schneider.

The hope is that the Rangers’ rookie defensemen continue to develop and that Schneider can take a step forward. He has yet to break out or show significant improvement over the past few seasons, and while he is still a solid player, he has the tools to be more of a difference-maker.

Overall Grade

Schneider was a consistent player for the Rangers in a season filled with inconsistency, but he did not establish himself as a top-four defenseman. He gets a C+ for his play this season. He was strong on the penalty kill while continuing to play with physicality and block shots, but given his combination of size, strength, and speed, he has the potential to play better.