Rangers Extend Offers Ahead of Deadline

The Rangers have extended a qualifying offer to restricted free agent Braden Schneider, which was anticipated before Monday’s deadline. This move secures his rights during the potential trade process amid ongoing team changes, as reported by Molly Walker.

In addition to Schneider, defensemen Scott Morrow, Vincent Iorio, and William Trudeau received qualifying offers. Forward Pavel Dorofeyev, who was recently signed on a seven-year deal averaging around $11 million per year, was also included in this list.

However, several players, including Hugo Olas (who played in the ECHL last season), Tarin Boyko (who was in Finland Liga and the AHL with Hartford), Brendan Brisson (a Wolfpack forward who has seen time in the NHL), and Massimo Rizzo (who was acquired in a recent trade) did not qualify for offers. As a result, they will become unrestricted free agents at noon on Wednesday.

Schneider was notably involved in trade discussions leading up to last week’s draft, along with center Vincent Trocheck. With free agency on the horizon, there’s a chance a team might trade for Schneider’s rights and negotiate a long-term contract with him. Nevertheless, Walker noted that president and GM Chris Drury is looking for a comparable player in return.

Trudeau, picked in the fourth round of the 2021 draft and yet to make his NHL debut, offers Brett Berard, a restricted free agent from a recent trade with the Canadiens, an opportunity to start anew.

Morrow, who joined last season as part of Quandre Miller’s trade package, played 29 games with the Rangers while also contributing five goals and 19 points in Hartford.

Iorio’s season took a downturn; he was placed on waivers in January and only played six games, primarily as a healthy scratch during a rough year for the Rangers.