Defenseman Brady Skjei will return to Broadway, signing a six-year contract with the New York Rangers today. The deal is worth $31.5 million or $5.25 million per season AAV. Skjei is one of the few familiar faces returning to the Rangers. The Minnesotan blueliner will take on a much larger role for the 2018-19 season.
Skjei in at $5.25M for six years. Fair deal for both sides.
— Larry Brooks (@NYP_Brooksie) July 28, 2018
New York Rangers Re-Sign Brady Skjei
Skjei was one of the few consistently present defenseman on the Rangers blueline for the garbage fire that was the 2017-18 season. He and Marc Staal were the only two foundational defensemen of the twelve in the rotation for the Blueshirts last season. Their defensive counterparts, and the organization crumbled around them. Whether it was from injuries or personnel shifts, the Rangers are desperate for Brady Skjei to have a knockout year.
Since joined the Rangers organization as the 28th overall pick in the 2012 NHL Draft. He became the exception to Alain Vigneault’s no developing youth talent rule. Skjei saw great success in the 2016-17 playoffs, despite the Rangers second-round exit. He scored four goals and tallied one assist in 12 games. Returning for his sophomore season, his responsibilities grew massively. The 24-year-old jumped up approximately four minutes in ATOI from 17:38 to 21:02. In fact, last season Skjei was third in ATOI behind Ryan McDonagh and Neal Pionk.
Last Season
While Skjei earned a lot of criticism for being a -27 in 2017-18, it was hard for him not to be statistically. With the rest of the defence acting like a sieve, Henrik Lundqvist shouldering too much play and the entire organization bursting into flame, Skjei can only do so much. There’s no question he needs to be more consistent and watch his giveaways (62 is too many). However, Skjei remains of the Rangers best hopes for a successful next season. With so much rebuilding going on around him, including the loss of his mentor McDonagh, Skjei’s time is now to step up as a mentor and help shape this new Rangers roster.
Before joining the NHL, Skjei participated in the USA Hockey National Development Team Project. He earned a Gold Medal with Team USA at the WJC18 in 2012.
Main Photo
OTTAWA, ON – APRIL 29: Brady Skjei #76 of the New York Rangers skates against Zack Smith #15 oft the Ottawa Senators in Game Two of the Eastern Conference Second Round during the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs at Canadian Tire Centre on April 29, 2017 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Jana Chytilova/Freestyle Photography/Getty Images)
