DETROIT — Braden Schneider’s ability to adapt has been one of his most valuable assets since he broke into the National Hockey League in 2022.
Whether it was having to change defense partners as much as he changed the tape on his stick through his first two seasons or getting thrust into a top-four role last year amid injuries, the young defenseman has always adjusted rather quickly and been able to tailor himself to fit into whatever situation he’s faced in the previous three campaigns.
Switching to his off side on the left to start this season, however, is probably Schneider’s toughest acclimation process yet.
“Being able to adjust your game is so important — especially at this level,” Schneider told The Post before the Rangers took on the Red Wings for the second time in four days Thursday night. “I want to be a guy that’s able to adapt to different things. I think, at the end of the day, it’s a feather in your cap to say that you can play a different way.
“I think it’s been good. I think it’s definitely helped me go into this job on the left side. I’m fairly proud of how I’ve been able to handle it.”
When Ryan Lindgren went down during preseason with an upper-body injury that has centered around his face/jaw, the Rangers put him on injured reserve and had to jumble the “D” pairs.
They tried numerous combinations in the final exhibition games before shifting Schneider to the left of Jacob Trouba in practice, which allowed for K’Andre Miller to replace Lindgren on the left of Adam Fox.
No games were needed — that was the way the Rangers were going to start the season.
Logging just 37 seconds less ice time than Miller-Fox (42:46) going into Thursday night’s game, Schneider-Trouba had been on the ice for three Rangers goals and two against, according to Natural Stat Trick.
They’ve also posted a 17-9 edge in high-danger chances when they’re on the ice.
There’s certainly been some miscues as Schneider becomes more familiar with the left side, but with each game, the Rangers’ 19th overall pick in 2020 is increasingly more confident.
“The biggest adjustment has been regrouping in the neutral zone,” said Schneider, who is rocking five stitches just under his bottom lip from catching a follow through of an opponent’s stick in one of the previous games. “Obviously, it’s a bit tougher because you want your toes up ice, but you also want to catch it on your forehand. Go on your forehand, you’re probably not looking up ice. You look up ice, you catch it on your backhand so you have to make an extra stick handle.
“That was probably the biggest adjustment, and then just taking hard rims and all the dirtier pucks in the game — it’s been harder to handle.”
Schneider played on the left under similar circumstances — when someone was out — during his Junior days in the Western Hockey League with the Brandon Wheat Kings.
That may have amounted to around 30 games.
Making the switch at this level is naturally more difficult because of the pace and speed of the game.
“It’s better every game, just talked about it with him,” head coach Peter Laviolette said. “I thought the first game there was a little bit of an adjustment, but I think every game they’ve gotten better. He and Trouba have been a really good pair for us, playing really well together. I think for anybody, even a guy who is oftentimes finding himself playing both sides, I think when you get to the off side the game just closes down and you have to figure out how to open it up a little bit. … I do think it’s gotten better every game.”