The New York Rangers were one of the National Hockey League’s most disappointing teams a year ago, and after re-tooling over the off-season, they enter the 2026/27 campaign with hopes of making a genuine Stanley Cup push.
However, this still isn’t a perfect roster, and after a 1-1-0 start to the season through their first two games, there’s been plenty of positives to go along with the negatives for a team that’s got plenty of pressure on them. That means that there could be changes coming, and after their first few games, the team have been predicted to trade a talented young defenseman that was once considered one of the franchise’s top prospects.
Could the Rangers Trade Braden Schneider This Season?
That defenseman is 25-year-old Braden Schneider, who has flashed high end potential at the NHL level thus far, but without finally putting it all together and taking the leap to serious stardom, for every one step forward, he’s taken two steps back.
That’s led to plenty of speculation around his Rangers future, with trade chatter dating back as far as the 2024/25 campaign that states the team could deal him for futures or an upgrade in their forward group. Now, on the latest episode of the Tri-State Hockey podcast, Daily Faceoff’s Jonny Lazarus has addressed Schneider’s future, predicting that by the deadline, Schneider will no longer be with the Rangers.
“‘I don’t think Schneider is going to be here past the deadline. I don’t think the Rangers are getting Kent Johnson or a top line player for Braden Schneider,” said Lazarus. “He’s been a 3rd pair D making 5.5M now. I think his value is just getting lower and lower.”
What Can the Rangers Get for Schneider?
While Lazarus obviously isn’t involved with trade talks inside the Rangers building, it’s clear from watching Schneider that his value is at an all-time low after he posted just 2 goals and 18 points in 82 games played a year ago.
That doesn’t mean they can’t get anything for him, as there’s a chance the Rangers package him with other assets for an upgrade or get a late-round draft pick for him, but after he signed just a one-year deal worth $5.5 million this past off-season, the writing is on the wall for Schneider’s future in the NHL with New York.
As of right now, he sits behind Sean Durzi and Adam Fox as the Rangers third RHD, and while that’s a role he could find some significant success in, it may be best for both player and team to move on from each other, so don’t be shocked to see trade talks pick up as the 2026/27 season rolls on, regardless of the Rangers form.
Rangers Predicted to Move Sixth-Year Defenseman Ahead of the Deadline