NY Rangers Former First-Round Pick Could Be on Trade Block

The New York Rangers could make a former first-round pick available this offseason in a trade.

Apr 2, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Braden Schneider (4) controls the puck in the second period against the Montréal Canadiens at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

In a recent article by The Athletic, New York Rangers defenseman Braden Schneider is one of four NHL players mentioned who could be on the trade block this offseason.

Schneider is a restricted free agent who could be earning more money this upcoming season. The Rangers have a tough decision to make regarding the young defenseman.

While he’s been a solid No. 4/5 defender for New York, the Rangers have been hoping and waiting to see Schneider take his game to the next level and climb up in the defensive rankings.

With Schneider yet to experience that breakthrough, New York could potentially move on from the right-handed defensemen and look elsewhere for alternatives on defense, including younger players with more upside.

Braden Schneider makes sense as trade chip for Rangers

Mar 22, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Braden Schneider (4) warms up before a game against the Winnipeg Jets at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images / John Jones-Imagn Images

Schneider got more playing time this past season for the Rangers, setting a new career-high for time on the ice with an average of 20:27 minutes per game. While he got more opportunities, Schneider struggled and was unable to take advantage. He drove only 43.3% of expected goals during five-on-five shifts, the lowest mark of all New York defensemen last season.

Schneider posted a 43.26 expected goals percentage, which was the worst among all Rangers defensemen last season, other than Drew Fortescue.

On the bright side, he led New York in hits taken with 196, which led the next player by over 60 hits. He also led the team in blocked shots, recording 141.

An aspect of his game that Schneider needs to improve on is his puck play, which ranked in the bottom 10% of defensemen in almost every zone category. His puck play would need to see improvement in order for him to move up to a top-four defenseman.

Schneider was the Rangers’ first-round pick in 2020, and he could see himself as a trade piece this offseason, where New York would get a significant return to improve their roster.

Time could be right for Rangers to trade Braden Schneider

Jan 31, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; New York Rangers defenseman Braden Schneider (4) takes the ice against the Pittsburgh Penguins at PPG Paints Arena. / Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

And while he has yet to tap into his full potential, other teams could view him as a player with high upside due to the fact that he’s still only 24 years old and could have the potential to improve.

Schneider has expressed his desire to stay with the club, speaking to reporters following the 2025/26 season:

“I love being a Ranger,” he said after the season. “I’m very proud to be a Ranger, and it feels like home here. I know I’ll be doing whatever I can to be the best player I can be, and I hope it’s here. Whatever happens is going to happen. I’m proud to be a Ranger, so that’s where I’ll leave that. We’ll see what happens.”

Schneider has spent the past five seasons in New York. He is projected to make $6 million for six years in a possible long-term deal, and could make $4.1 million for a short-term one-year deal (according to AFPAnalytics).

If the Rangers are going to trade him, the time is now, considering his value would likely only decrease over the next few years. Especially considering he is eligible to become UFA-eligible in two years, trading him sooner rather than later will help New York maximize their return for the right-handed defenseman.