{"id":549797,"date":"2026-04-10T20:54:35","date_gmt":"2026-04-10T20:54:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/549797\/"},"modified":"2026-04-10T20:54:35","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T20:54:35","slug":"playing-extremely-well-right-now","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/549797\/","title":{"rendered":"‘playing extremely well right now’"},"content":{"rendered":"

New York Rangers News<\/a><\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\"avatar\"\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n

It\u2019s been a bit of a rollercoaster ride for Braden Schneider<\/a>, but New York Rangers coach Mike Sullivan believes the young defenseman is in a good spot heading into the final three games of the 2025-26 season.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think he is playing extremely well right now,\u201d Sullivan said Friday<\/a>, before the Rangers departed for Dallas, where they\u2019ll skate against the Stars on Saturday.<\/p>\n

And why does Sullivan believe the 24-year-old defenseman is so good these days?<\/p>\n

\u201cWhen he\u2019s simple with his puck possession, the decisions he\u2019s making with the puck are good. He\u2019s executing when he has the opportunity to go tape to tape. When he\u2019s not, he\u2019s recognizing when to make a simple play. And I just think that\u2019s an important element of being a good defenseman in today\u2019s game,\u201d Sullivan explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s not a guy that\u2019s forcing plays and giving our opponents an opportunity off turnovers, feeding a transition game. \u2026 I think \u2018Schneids\u2019 has done a good job most recently with his puck possession and recognizing the difference. He\u2019s also making plays when they\u2019re there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Schneider admitted that being back on the second or third defense pair helped the overall improvement in his game. Earlier this season, he stepped into a top-pair role alongside Vladislav Gavrikov,<\/a> when Adam Fox<\/a> missed 27 games during two extended injury absences through December and January.<\/p>\n

The fifth-year pro struggled with the extra responsibility playing against the opposition\u2019s best players and top lines game after game. It\u2019s during this time that the Rangers season cratered, and they sank to the bottom of the Eastern Conference<\/a>, ultimately eliminated from playoff contention on March 25.<\/p>\n

\u201cEarly on in the year when Adam went down and playing that elevated role against top players, I think it was definitely a bit of a learning curve,\u201d Schneider stated after practice Friday.<\/a> \u201cI think it\u2019s finally starting to come together here. i think now that we kind of found our game, I\u2019ve got that understanding more of what I need to do to be the player that can help this team get wins.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s definitely take time, and there\u2019ve definitely been ups and downs throughout this year, but I think I\u2019ve improved a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u2018Hard-working\u2019 Braden Schneider earns praise from Rangers coach Mike Sullivan<\/p>\n

\"NHL:Steve Roberts-Imagn Images<\/p>\n

Schneider hasn\u2019t missed a game all season, and is second among Rangers defenseman, behind Gavrikov, in most minutes played 5v5 and at all strengths. His average TOI of 20:31 is a career-high, and nearly three minutes more than last season.<\/p>\n

Though he only has two goals, even with power-play time earlier in the season, Schneider did establish a career best with 16 assists, and his 18 points are just three off his single-season high. Since March 5, Schneider has seven assists in 19 games.<\/p>\n

Never a player with strong underlying numbers, Schneider\u2019s overall expect goal share of 37.52 percent, per Natural Stat Trick<\/a>, isn\u2019t pretty, though weighed down by his extensive PK minutes. At 5v5, though, it\u2019s not much better \u2014 he has an xGF of 43.64 percent.<\/p>\n

Though his name comes up often in trade rumors<\/a>, especially heading into the offseason as a restricted free agent with arbitration rights, Schneider could prove too valuable as a physical, mobile, young right-shot defenseman for the Rangers to move on from. Especially with his strong play down the stretch partnered with impressive rookie Drew Fortescue<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Perhaps that\u2019s a second defense pair for years to come on Broadway. Then again, maybe Schneider\u2019s strong finish enhances his trade value to a point that general manager Chris Drury just can\u2019t say no to a deal.<\/p>\n

Either way, he earned some hard-won praise from his current coach.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think he\u2019s played really well. He defends hard, and, you know, he\u2019s a hard-working guy,\u201d Sullivan noted.<\/p>\n

\t\t\"avatar\"<\/p>\n

\t\tJim Cerny is Executive Editor at Forever Blueshirts and Managing Editor at Sportsnaut, with more than 30 years of … More about Jim Cerny<\/a><\/p>\n

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