Braden Schneider was shut down by the Rangers for the ultimate two video games of the 2024-25 marketing campaign due to an upper-body damage the 23-year-old defenseman has apparently been coping with this season.
As soon as the Blueshirts have been formally eradicated from playoff competition this previous weekend at Carolina, the group needed Schneider to start the restoration course of.
He’s anticipated to be prepared by the beginning of subsequent season, per a supply.
“It was good, he’s a warrior,” head coach Peter Laviolette stated of Schneider’s season. “Plays hard for us all the time. We’ll get more into that once the season ends, but he’s done a good job for us.”
In his fourth season with the Rangers, Schneider completed with profession highs in objectives (6), assists (15) and factors (21) via 80 video games.
He skated with six completely different defensive companions all through the season — which isn’t out of the extraordinary for Schneider, who has performed with a surplus of gamers since making his debut Jan. 13, 2022.
Schneider opened the season in a prime 4 position alongside ex-captain Jacob Trouba for the primary seven video games, with Ryan Lindgren on injured reserve. He bounced round for a majority of the season, nevertheless, spending probably the most time on the Rangers backside pairing.
He additionally noticed minutes subsequent to Zac Jones, Okay’Andre Miller, Will Borgen, Urho Vaakanainen and the since-traded Victor Mancini.
As one among 5 defensemen, and solely one among two regulars (Adam Fox) who’re signed via subsequent season proper now, Schneider needs to be in line for a respectable shot at an elevated position.
He’ll be wrapping up the two-year, $4.4 million extension he signed with the Rangers on July 13, 2024.
The ultimate two video games of the season have been at all times going to be a formality after the Rangers have been knocked out of playoff competition with Saturday’s 7-3 loss to the Hurricanes.
Requested what they needed to play for within the last video games, Vincent Trocheck was blunt.
“Pride,” he stated stoically.
That started Monday evening at Florida with a 5-3 win over the Panthers group that ended the Rangers’ season final yr on its approach to profitable the Stanley Cup.
It was the primary alternative for the Rangers to experiment and provides sure rookies an actual look in preparation for subsequent season.
With out Schneider, Matthew Robertson was capable of make his NHL debut six years after the Rangers drafted him forty ninth general. Brennan Othmann and Gabe Perreault have been additionally reinserted into the lineup and into the highest six, as was pending restricted free agent Jones rather than Vaakanainen.
The one rookie on the roster who wasn’t within the lineup was Brett Berard, who was a wholesome scratch for the fourth time within the earlier 11 video games.
Matt Rempe was a standout after posting a two-point effort in Monday’s victory, throughout which his season-long development was on full show.
“Huge, huge growth for Remp,” Laviolette stated. “He’s attacking the ice now with the puck. From our finish, he’s getting it with a little bit little bit of pace beneath it earlier than our blue line. He’s attacking the impartial zone, he’s going to the web, he’s making performs, he’s going via defenders. He performed a heck of a recreation tonight.
“The growth has been visible for everybody, not just me, but everybody sees it that watches him play.”
It’ll be attention-grabbing to see if the Rangers go together with all 5 of the rookies within the season finale Thursday on the Backyard..
For Othmann, who was a wholesome scratch for 2 video games earlier than taking part in Monday at Florida, there may be one factor on the prime of the checklist he’d prefer to get out of it.
“First goal,” he stated with amusing, referencing the truth that he has but to attain via his first 21 NHL video games. “You get one recreation left to do this and you bought to attend three or 4 months. That’s only a private purpose, however like Troch stated the opposite evening, we’re simply going to play with pleasure the final recreation. I personally assume we nonetheless have a reasonably good locker room. We have now plenty of older guys that though we’re out and it’s going to be an extended summer time, I believe plenty of them are nonetheless having fun with the second and having fun with these previous few days collectively.
“Obviously, we want to win against Tampa Bay on Thursday, and for me, I would love to see if I can get one in the final game.”
