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What’s next for Rangers after July 29 arbitration date set for Braden Schneider
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- What’s next for Rangers after July 29 arbitration date set for Braden Schneider
Another important piece of offseason business for the New York Rangers now has a set date. The NHL announced Sunday that Braden Schneider's arbitration case will be heard on July 29.
In late June, the Rangers unsurprisingly extended a qualifying offer to Schneide r, a staple on their defense corps and a restricted free agent. The 24-year-old filed for salary arbitration a week later.
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Schneider made $2.2 million annually on his most recent contract, a two-year deal worth $4.4 million, signed July 13, 2024. Now, two years out from becoming an unrestricted free agent, Schneider seeks a pay raise, and the two sides have yet to figure out exactly what his next contract looks like.
That's why having an independent arbitrator decide the financial issue after receiving proposals from the player and team, and hearing arguments from each side, is a viable option. Plus the arbitration hearing sets a deadline to get Schneider's contract settled, so it doesn't carry over into late summer or, worse for all parties involved, into training camp or even the regular season.
By choosing arbitration, Schneider became ineligible to receive an offer sheet from one of the other 31 teams in the League. He is one of 15 NHL players that filed for salary arbitration, a list which includes, most notably, Dallas Stars high-scoring forward Jason Robertson , whose hearing is set for July 25.
Forward Peyton Krebs of the Buffalo Sabres settled his case, scheduled for Aug. 1, when he agreed to a four-year, $18 million contract Monday.
What's next for Rangers, Braden Schneider with arbitration date set for July 29
Work out bridge deal before arbitration hearing
Perhaps the simplest and least painful outcome is for the Rangers and Schneider to negotiate and agree to a bridge contract. There's risk involved on a two-year bridge deal because it walks Schneider into unrestricted free agency in 2028. But it does allow coach Mike Sullivan and the Rangers two more years to evaluate Schneider, and decide if his weak underlying metrics and mediocre offensive production are too much of a concern to invest in him long term.
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There's plenty Schneider does well. He led the Rangers with 140 blocked shots last season, topped Blueshirts defensemen with 163 hits, averaged more than 20 minutes TOI for the first time in his career, and played all 82 games — he's only missed three games since entering the NHL during the 2021-22 season. He's also a stand-up player and emerging young leader in the locker room.
But where does he fit? And what's his financial value? Schneider was exposed filling in for the injured Adam Fox on the top defense pair for 27 games last season. And the Rangers acquired Sean Durzi in the Vincent Trocheck trade on July 1 to be their second-pair right-shot d-man, and he's got two seasons at $6 million per remaining on his contract.
So, it's back to the third pair, it appears, for Schneider. He can't be happy with that, and the Rangers can't be happy that's the case either. So, determining his worth is not so easy. Meaning a bridge deal — or a one-year agreement with the starting number likely around $4 million — could be path of least resistance here.
Sign Schneider to long-term contract
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Listen, maybe Sullivan and general manager Chris Drury love Schneider and believe he's a keeper and foresee his best days still ahead. In that case, making him part of the core moving forward — remember he only turns 25 this season — makes sense. But do the Rangers like him enough to invest, say, between $6-7 million annually on a longer-term contract?
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That feels less likely. But if the Rangers can get the AAV in a more comfortable range, and see Schneider moving up into the top-four defense group soon or even after Durzi's contract is up, then this can't be ruled out.
Let independent arbitrator decide Schneider's value
If the the sides cannot come to an agreement on either a bridge deal nor long-term contract, they will argue their respective cases and let an independent arbitrator decide what the proper AAV is for Schneider. Since the player chose to file for arbitration, the team gets to decide if they accept the arbitrator's ruling and, if so, if they want a one- or two-year contract at that annual number.
Of course, the Rangers could reject the arbitrator's decision, though that's not happening, since Schneider then would become an unrestricted free agent. Makes zero sense to go that route.
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You'd think neither side wants to go to arbitration. That's never a healthy experience, especially with the team tearing down the player in order to support its case.
Rangers could trade Schneider
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The other option is for the Rangers to trade Schneider. This feels less likely than it did weeks ago, now that most teams are set with their personnel, and the Rangers like the look of their defense corps. of course, things could change if contract talks are unpleasant and/or another team offers a young top-six or, perhaps, middle-six forward with upside.
In that case, the Rangers have some cover for their third defense pair with right-handed options Scott Morrow and Vincent Iorio . Or, perhaps, Urho Vaakanainen or Matthew Robertson could play his off-side to to replace Schneider, though Sullivan prefers his defensemen to play their natural side.
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Simply, a trade seems unlikely.
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