Mike Sullivan and the Rangers have just confirmed Adam Fox's replacement as he's placed on LTIR

At 27 years old and still among the team's most productive blueliners, Fox had 26 points in 27 games this season, tied for the team lead. So his absence forces a major shake-up on the Rangers' back end.

With that being said, it appears that Braden Schneider is primed to join the top pair. As several reports from the Rangers' practice on Monday revealed, the 19th overall draft pick from 2020 will be slotting in on the first defensive pair with Vladislav Gavrikov.

Schneider has played mostly as a bottom-pair right-handed defenseman, but the Rangers clearly believe he can handle more responsibility.

The moment feels big for Schneider and for the Rangers' defensive core. Fans have been curious whether he could step into a more prominent role. Now they'll find out whether his transition from lower-pairing duties to the first pairing can hold up under real pressure.

Schneider obviously doesn't match Fox's offensive flair, but he brings size and mobility. At 6′4″ he has the frame to plug gaps and help limit chances against.

Without Fox's puck-moving creativity and power-play presence, the Rangers' top pairing will rely more on structure and defensive discipline.

This is more than a line shift. It's a test of depth. The Rangers will need Schneider and the rest of the defense corps, to step up while Fox recovers.

If Schneider adapts well, the club could escape the next stretch without a major drop-off. If not, the blue line could get exposed. Either way, the next few games will tell a lot about how deep this roster really is.