The Pittsburgh Penguins have been one of the season’s biggest surprises. Written off by many before the year began, the Penguins were expected to hover near the bottom of the standings and flirt with a rebuild. Instead, they’ve flipped the script completely.
Pittsburgh now sits firmly second in the Metropolitan Division, looking every bit like a legitimate playoff contender. With a deep playoff push looming, an NHL insider has connected the Penguins to a 24-year-old Rangers defenseman as a potential deadline solution.
Penguins Linked to 24-Year-Old Rangers Defenseman
Despite their strong play, the Penguins’ blue line remains a concern. The current top pairing of Parker Wotherspoon and Erik Karlsson brings puck movement and offense. But neither profiles as a true shutdown defenseman. Connor Clifton has helped steady things, but the loss of Kris Letang has left a noticeable gap.
Letang is sidelined with a broken foot and expected to miss about a month. While much of his recovery will overlap with the Olympic break, it may take time before he’s fully back up to speed. For a team pushing for the playoffs, that’s a risky stretch to navigate without reinforcements.
That’s where the New York Rangers’ 24-year-old defenseman Braden Schneider enters the conversation.
NHL insider Dan Rosen recently highlighted Pittsburgh as a team that should be aggressive in adding a right-shot defenseman, regardless of Letang’s status. “With or without Letang, depth on the right side of the blue line is an area of need for a team that has put itself in contention to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs,” Rosen said.
Rosen ran through a list of potential right-shot defensemen who could be available, including Dougie Hamilton, Luke Schenn, Connor Murphy, Justin Faulk, and Nick Jensen. While those names offer experience, most are pending unrestricted free agents, short-term solutions that don’t align with Pittsburgh’s evolving plan.
Schneider, however, checks nearly every box. “He fits age-wise and with what the Penguins are likely in the market for being that he’s physical, has size (6-foot-3, 206 pounds) and mobility, is a defense-first defenseman,” Rosen said.
He also brings postseason experience and familiarity with Penguins head coach Dan Muse, who spent the previous two seasons as an assistant with the Rangers.
In short, Schneider looks tailor-made for what Pittsburgh lacks. Of course, there’s a catch.
The Rangers are well aware of Schneider’s value, and Rosen made it clear the asking price won’t be modest. “The Rangers know all of that too, which is why the asking price for Schneider is expected to be high. The Penguins would have to give up future assets to get him… It’s a bit of a conundrum.”
The timing could work in Pittsburgh’s favor as New York has already begun reshaping its roster, moving Carson Soucy to the Islanders. And is expected to listen to additional players as it shifts toward a retool.
With the Olympic trade freeze running from February 4 through February 22, the clock is ticking. Whether Pittsburgh makes a move before then remains to be seen.
