With the Rangers now officially out of playoff contention, the team has begun to offer more insight into what players have been battling behind the scenes. On Saturday, the Rangers announced that defenseman Braden Schneider will miss the final two games of the regular season.
The way the organization has handled this situation is pretty troubling. Sure, it’s clear the team has been fighting to stay competitive all season, but there was a long stretch where the on-ice product was simply awful. Choosing to have Schneider play through that, all in the name of giving the team its “best chance,” feels like a poor use of resources—and worse, a mishandling of a young defenseman they’ve long claimed to value highly. It’s hard to see this as anything other than bad development for a player who should be part of the team’s long-term core.
In a corresponding roster move, the Rangers have called up Matthew Robertson from the Hartford Wolf Pack. The 2019 draft pick is set to finally make his NHL debut, stepping in to replace Braden Schneider for the team’s final games of the season.
Matthew Robertson will make his NHL debut tomorrow for #NYR vs. Panthers, per head coach Peter Laviolette.
Expect Gabe Perreault and Brennan Othmann to play, too.
— Mollie Walker (@MollieeWalkerr) April 13, 2025
With both Brennan Othmann and Gabe Perreault expected to be in the lineup for the final two games, it seems like Peter Laviolette is finally giving the young talent a real chance. Frankly, it’s long overdue. The decision to burn a year off Perreault’s entry-level contract just to have him sit in the press box is baffling. Laviolette likely won’t be back after this season, but GM Chris Drury should’ve stepped in to stop this from becoming a pattern. If he actually supported the decision, then the Rangers might be in even worse shape than fans feared. Hopefully, the kids can bring some energy and excitement to close out what’s been one of the most disappointing Rangers seasons in recent memory.
