Media Bytes: Sharks Like Schneider, Trocheck's Temporary Reprieve, Laf's Garbage Time Heater
In this week’s Media Bytes, the Trocheck trade saga continues, Braden Schneider draws interest from San Jose, and questions about Adam Fox’s long-term future surface.
Welcome back to Media Bytes, a weekly column from Blueshirt Banter. Every Sunday, we’ll help you start the week right with a quick catch-up on the latest stories and developments around the New York Rangers and the broader NHL media landscape.
The full version of Media Bytes is for Blueshirt Banter members only. To read the full thing and get it delivered to your inbox every Sunday, become a member at Blueshirt Banter today.
Sharks Circling Schneider?
1. On the Monday episode of The Flying V podcast, Vince Mercogliano shared his thoughts and offered a general update on the fallout from the trade deadline. Among the players discussed was Rangers defenseman Braden Schneider.
Schneider's name has circulated in trade rumors for weeks, and Mercogliano confirmed that the Rangers did explore the possibility of moving him, even if no deal ultimately materialized.
Mercogliano acknowledged there are legitimate reasons the Rangers might consider a trade. Schneider remains blocked on the team's depth chart, and Mercogliano described his play as "stagnant, if not in some ways regressing." Still, Mercogliano noted there's interest in him around the league given that he plays a premium position and is a "big, strong, high-character kid."
"I do believe there is a market for [Schneider]," Mercogliano said. "I've heard of some teams that poked around on him. San Jose is one, certainly, that I would have my eye on going into the summer."
As with Vincent Trocheck, Mercogliano added that the Rangers set a high asking price for Schneider ahead of the deadline, and no team was willing to meet it. He also suggested the Rangers would be comfortable keeping Schneider and signing him to another bridge deal if a trade matching their valuation doesn't emerge.
"He's young enough where you don’t feel a sense of urgency to trade him right now," Mercogliano said.
For now, Schneider remains a Ranger, but the trade conversation surrounding him is clearly far from over.
