​One day after finding out the exact date of Braden Schneider’s arbitration hearing, the New York Rangers made it a moot point Monday. The Rangers and Schneider agreed to a one-year, $5.5 million contract, and avoided arbitration altogether.That’s certainly a positive step since the arbitration process can be a prickly affair, sometimes leading to lasting bad feelings, when the team attempts to prove why the player is worth less money than he’s seeking. It was scheduled for July 29.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThat said, the Rangers still face a long-term decision with the 24-year-old defenseman. And next season sets up to be a very important one, with the Rangers closely analyzing Schneider, who can be a restricted free agent again next summer before reaching UFA status in 2028. So, the Rangers likely need to decide Schneider’s future on Broadway after the 2026-27 season — meaning either make a long-term and considerable financial investment in him, or trade the former first-round pick, as they did with K’Andre Miller last summer.Speaking of considerable financial investments, Schneider received a healthy raise Monday, more than doubling his prior average annual value. Schneider made $2.2 million annually on a two-year, $4.4 million contract signed July 13, 2024 — yes, exactly two years to the day he signed this new deal.A one-year contract for Schneider was speculated to come in around $4.5 million or so, per most experts. A two-year bridge deal could’ve been worth a bit more; and, of course, a longer-term contract probably was going to average more than $7 million annually.So, this $5.5 million deal seems significant, perhaps a sign of what the Rangers feel about the somewhat enigmatic defenseman.There’s plenty Schneider does well. He led the Rangers with 140 blocked shots last season, topped Blueshirts defensemen with 163 hits, averaged more than 20 minutes TOI for the first time in his career, and played all 82 games — he’s only missed five games since his NHL debut in Jan. 2022. He’s also a stand-up player and emerging young leader in the locker room.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementBut where does he fit? And at what cost long term? Schneider was exposed filling in for the injured Adam Fox on the top defense pair for 27 games last season. And the Rangers acquired Sean Durzi in the Vincent Trocheck trade on July 1 to be their second-pair right-shot d-man, and he’s got two seasons at $6 million per remaining on his contract.So, it’s back to the third pair, it appears, for Schneider. He can’t be happy with that, and the Rangers can’t be happy that’s the case either. Though that $5.5 million salary does say something.IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectSchneider is now the fourth-highest paid defenseman on the Rangers, equaling newcomer Marcus Pettersson, who’s on the books through 2030-31. They slot behind Fox ($9.5 million AAV), Vladislav Gavrikov ($7 million) and Durzi.AdvertisementAdver