NY Rangers Sign Veteran Defenseman To Provide Depth

The New York Rangers were able to add some depth to their blueline by signing a veteran player.

Mar 16, 2025; New York, New York, USA; A New York Rangers flag is seen in the crown during the first period against the Edmonton Oilers at Madison Square Garden. / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It has been a very busy couple of days for the New York Rangers with free agency getting started. So far, things look good on paper for the most part for the franchise, and there appears to be a clear direction forward. 

On day one of free agency, the Rangers were one of the most active teams both in terms of signing players and also on the trade market. Due to this class of free agents not being the best, there was always expected to be a lot of trades. 

New York ended up being active in both areas, and the team is going to have a very different look next season. Furthermore, while they did finally end up moving Vincent Trocheck on Wednesday, the team didn’t move defenseman Braden Schneider yet. 

As a 24-year-old restricted free agent who plays on the right side for the Rangers, the return if they elected to trade him could be pretty strong. With the blueline getting revamped for New York, Schneider now projects to be a third-pair defenseman with the team. 

More than likely, it would be in their best interest to move him, and with a recent signing, they have added some more depth for the group. 

Rangers Sign Dennis Cholowski

Can confirm Dennis Cholowski is signing with the Rangers, per a league source. PuckPedia says it's a two-year, $875,000 AAV deal.

He has 173 games of NHL experience and should bring the Rangers some organizational depth.

— Peter Baugh (@Peter_Baugh) July 2, 2026

As a former first-round pick, Cholowski has bounced around a bit in the NHL after being selected by the Detroit Red Wings with the 20th overall pick. Over the course of his career, he has totaled 42 points with 13 goals and 29 assists in 172 games played. 

While Cholowski isn’t a major addition, he is a proven NHL player who will be able to provide depth for the organization. Getting quality depth is important for the Rangers, and after some of the moves made to open up free agency, there is a way that the team might be able to compete for a wild card spot. 

Help on the left side of the blue line was a goal for the team to address this offseason, and they have done so nicely. With fifth overall pick Alberts Smits potentially being ready to contribute right away, adding a player like Cholowski provides the team with some insurance in case he isn’t ready yet. 

Overall, while it might not be the flashiest addition, it is a solid one for the team to get a nice depth piece with a significant amount of experience in the league.