2020 NHL Draft: About the Braden Schneider pick

Ramifications of the pick

Schneider just turned 19 on September 20, making him one of the oldest players in the draft.  With his size and skill set, don’t be surprised if he is on a fast track to the NHL.   That’s the run.  As a right handed defenseman that means the team now has six right defensemen in the organization.  Jacob Trouba has a long term contract.  Adam Fox is a budding star.  Tony DeAngelo is an arbitration eligible Restricted Free Agent.  Nils Lundkvist is tearing up the Swedish Hockey League.  Darren Raddysh is a depth defenseman in Hartford.  Now, add Schneider to that mix.

The team was already facing a surplus of right defensemen with the highly regarded Lundkvist almost ready to move to North America.  The Schneider selection could have ramifications for DeAngelo who was slated to be a third pair defenseman and power play quarterback. There is no doubt now that Jeff Gorton will be looking to see what trade opportunities there are when it comes to DeAngelo, whose value is the highest right now.

At the very least, it may mean a one year extension for DeAngelo instead of any kind of longterm deal.  The Rangers have made a qualifying offer to the defenseman so they will be negotiating  with him to try to avoid arbitration.

A dark horse trade candidate could be Lundkvist who must be signed by June 2022.  Larry Brooks raised the possibility that he could remain in Sweden until then if he thinks his path to the NHL is blocked and become a free agent in just two years when he is 22.  Trading a stud defense prospect for an established NHL player from a financially strapped team is a potential  scenario .

Hard to play against

That’s the line on the resume that the Rangers are looking for. In Alexis Lafrenière  and Braden Schneider they have that requirement checked off, with emphasis.  One of the NHL Network analysts likened Schneider to Jeff Beukeboom.  That’s music to the ears of Ranger fans.