The Rangers have agreed to terms with one of their remaining restricted free agents, announcing that they’ve reached a two-year contract with defenseman Braden Schneider. While financial terms were not disclosed, PuckPedia adds (Twitter link) that the agreement pays $1.76MM in 2024-25 and $2.64MM in 2025-26 for a $2.2MM AAV. That last number will serve as his qualifying offer in 2026 where he will have salary arbitration eligibility.
The 22-year-old was a first-round pick by New York in 2020, going 19th overall. He has been a full-time NHL regular since partway through his rookie professional season, giving him more than 200 career NHL appearances which is something that can’t be said for many players exiting their entry-level pacts.
However, Schneider has had a very limited role in his first three seasons. Last season, he played in all 82 games, notching 19 points along with 133 blocks and 167 hits. However, his playing time remained below the 16-minute mark, a number he has yet to surpass in those three years. Notably, even as a physical defensive defender, Schneider barely averaged one minute per game in shorthanded situations last season.
Between limited offensive output and what has basically been a permanent spot on the third pairing so far, a bridge contract was the only logical outcome for both sides. Schneider will need to play his way into a top-four opportunity over the next couple of years before he’ll have a chance to command a longer-term, bigger-money agreement.
With this signing, New York now has a little over $5.1MM in cap space, per PuckPedia. The majority of that will be earmarked for their last remaining restricted free agent, defenseman Ryan Lindgren. The 26-year-old filed for salary arbitration earlier this month with a hearing date yet to be set.
Lohud’s Vince Z. Mercogliano reported earlier this week that the two sides were making progress on a bridge agreement. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman first reported the terms of the deal.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
lol a bridge to a tiny island in your backyard pond!!!!! Like what has he earned besides a spot on the team and a rookie pay because that’s the most he’s earned. No wonder players get priced out on teams because this is just stupid spending when it’s not needed. He’s a rfa who has ZERO LEVERAGE! Take your $750k and enjoy your roster spot. If not I bet there is some young kid that’ll take his spot and will do the same small output he did.
A. That’s not how any of this works.
B. There is no “kid” in the Rangers farm system that is as good as Schneider right now.
Their better D prospects are at least 1-2 years away.
The reason his output is low and his numbers have been limited is pretty simple… he’s been a very young player (still only 22) and over the last several seasons the Rangers have had a really good, established top 4 that stayed healthy and stayed paired up. He would have been playing a much bigger role on many other teams.
His possession metrics could come up a little but by the eye test, he’s definitely one of the best Rangers defensemen. It feels like he was never the one causing chaos like Trouba, Miller, or Gus and he stepped it up in the playoffs as probably THE best Rangers blueliner (to be fair, Fox was definitely injured and Lindgren is always playing injured). They don’t have a lot of cap room, so a new deal was always going to have to be a bridge, but on a rebuilding team, he’d be a solid d-man to build around.
He’s a restricted free agent. First, $750K wouldn’t have even been a qualifying offer– if the Rangers had offered him that, he would become UNRESTRICTED. Second, RFAs can test the market– the “restriction” is that the current team has the right to match any offer. So the Rangers have an incentive to keep the player from testing the market, which could end up with them paying even more.
Would’ve preferred 2 years @ $1.8 mil, but it is what it is.
So the extra $400k is bothering you huh ?
Bothering me? No. Just worried about next summer when Shesty, Laffy, and Miller are all due for new contracts. Every little bit counts with the cap.