There’s an expectation that Braden Schneider will play an increased role for the New York Rangers this upcoming season, but it will require him to make one major transition to what he’s traditionally accustomed to.
In order for Schneider to be elevated into a top-four role, he’ll have to move to the left side, which is sometimes difficult for players who are right-handed.
When asked about this scenario on Friday, Mike Sullivan opened the door to the possibility of Schneider moving to the left side.
“The short answer is yes, they could play the left side,” Sullivan said of right-handed defensemen playing the left side. “I would envision us exploring opportunities to play Schneider on the offside if we choose to load the top-four on the blue line. We've had discussions around that as coaching staff, and we're going to explore those options through training camp and the exhibition season. Ultimately, we’ll make decisions that we think is the best chance to win.”
Through a complete revamping of the defensive core, Schneider has slowly emerged as one of the Rangers’ most impactful blueliners, and it’s now time for him to take that next step.
The question is whether it is beneficial to have Schneider play a top-four role at the risk of him playing on his offside.
Generally, Sullivan steers away from playing defensemen on their offside.
“I prefer to have defensemen play their strong sides,” Sullivan emphasized. “If Schneider plays the right side and we have Fox, Will Borgen, and Schneider on the right side, then we’ve got a pretty balanced approach we feel.”
The 24-year-old defenseman made clear after the 2024-25 season that he’s more than willing and capable of playing the left side if he’s called upon to do so.
Schneider has switched to his offside in the past, and he wants to do whatever it takes to ensure the Rangers’ long-term success.
Braden Schneider Is Ready To Move To The Left Side And It's Something The Rangers Must Strongly Consider
The New York <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-rangers/" target="_blank">Rangers</a> have a big decision to make regarding how they want to utilize Braden Schneider.
“It’s something that I’m definitely not opposed to,” Schneider said about the possibility of moving to the left side. “I obviously never played it at this level until this year. I think playing it this year and getting that confidence at that side, it’s definitely something I would not be opposed to. I would be confident in my abilities and ready to accept that challenge for sure.”
In April, Schneider underwent shoulder surgery, and while he’s been skating with the team to start training camp, he will not be ready for game action to open up the preseason.