Should the Blackhawks target this Rangers defenseman?
In a recent article for Bleacher Report, Lyle Richardson took a look at six potential landing spots for New York Rangers defenseman Braden Schneider.
Among the teams that Richardson discussed as a potential trade fit for Schneider was the Chicago Blackhawks. Richardson noted that Schneider could be a good replacement for pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) Connor Murphy if the Blackhawks decide to trade him.
"Long-time Chicago defenseman Connor Murphy could be among the trade candidates. That would leave Davidson in need of an experienced right-shot blueliner. Braden Schneider could be an option if Davidson seeks an immediate replacement for Murphy before the trade deadline," Richardson wrote.
The idea of Schneider joining the Blackhawks is an interesting one. Schneider plays a similar game to Murphy, but he is also significantly younger. This is because Schneider is 24 years old, while Murphy is 32 years old.
Schneider is also still young enough that he could take that next step and become a true top-four defenseman at the NHL level. Perhaps joining a rebuilding team like the Blackhawks could help him hit a new level.
Yet, as Richardson noted, the Blackhawks also have multiple young blueliners with high potential in their system. With this, the Blackhawks could very well be satisfied with the blueliner that they have, even if they end up moving Murphy.
Nevertheless, it will be interesting to see what happens with Schneider leading up to the deadline. The Rangers defenseman should generate a good amount of interest, as the former first-round pick is a big right-shot defenseman still in his mid-20s.