3 Teams NY Rangers Could Trade Braden Schneider To

There are a number of teams around the NHL who could be interested in Braden Schneider.

Nov 25, 2023; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Braden Schneider (4) passes the puck against the Boston Bruins during the second period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-USA TODAY Sports / USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

Entering the dog days of the NHL offseason, the New York Rangers look to be mostly done reshaping their roster.

Reports have circulated that team president and general manager Chris Drury would like to add another piece up front, someone who can slide into their top six, specifically on the right wing. Finding a player of that caliber at this point in the offseason is easier said than done.

But the Rangers do have one more trade chip available on the roster who might be able to net that kind of return: defenseman Braden Schneider. There are certainly some drawbacks to trading away a right-handed defenseman with the experience he has already racked up and the potential he possesses.

However, several teams around the NHL need help at the blueline and could offer New York the kind of player they are seeking in return.

Braden Schneider could have a strong trade market

Apr 5, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Braden Schneider (4) skates against the Washington Capitals during the second period at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Danny Wild-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“The market hasn’t yielded any sure-fire options to this point, so it may have to be a Wright-like reclamation project, if it happens at all. I’ve wondered about defense-needy teams like the Anaheim Ducks, Chicago Blackhawks and San Jose Sharks,” wrote Vincent Z. Mercogliano of The Athletic (subscription required) in response to a mailbag question asking whether the Rangers would consider trading Schneider to the Seattle Kraken for Shane Wright.

In a brutal spot salary-cap-wise, the Anaheim Ducks have several players who could fit what New York is looking for. A reunion with Chris Kreider is unlikely, but Alex Killorn, Troy Terry or Frank Vatrano would all fit the bill.

The Chicago Blackhawks already made a splash by acquiring Bowen Byram from the Buffalo Sabres and signed him to a massive extension. The Sharks were also active this offseason, adding defensemen, but both could benefit from adding Schneider from the Rangers.

Given the massive improvements that New York has made to its defensemen depth this offseason, making Schneider available makes plenty of sense. The Rangers selected five left-handed defensemen in the 2026 NHL Draft, including using the No. 5 pick on Alberts Smits.

When free agency began, the team completed two trades that netted them top-four defensemen: Marcus Pettersson from the Vancouver Canucks and Sean Durzi from the Utah Mammoth as part of the Vincent Trocheck return package.

Schneider looks like he will be, at best, used on the No. 3 pairing. The team’s depth on the left side is much deeper than on the right, which could prompt someone such as Matthew Robertson to play on their off-hand shooting side.

Alas, that is a good problem to have if it means that things have been shored up with the forwards. Flipping Schneider for someone who can provide top-six minutes and production would greatly improve the team’s ceiling heading into the season.