Braden Schneider’s NHL career is just 30 games old and the rookie defenseman is playing meaningful minutes for the Rangers in the thick of a playoff race.

After scoring the go-ahead goal in the Rangers’ win over the Penguins on Tuesday and assisting on Filip Chytil’s 2-2 score in their 5-4 overtime victory against the Red Wings on Wednesday, Schneider now has two goals and six assists on the season. He’s averaging 15:39 of ice time per game in a bottom-pair role alongside veteran Patrik Nemeth, and the 20-year-old has made it difficult to take him out of the lineup.

With Justin Braun now in the mix, after president and general manager Chris Drury traded for the 35-year-old defenseman at the trade deadline, Schneider will likely have to be scratched a few times as the regular season wraps up. Braun’s 100 playoff games of experience makes him an enticing addition to the Rangers lineup come the first round in May.

Asked if he feels any added motivation due to another defenseman coming into the locker room, Schneider maintained the same levelheadedness that he has since getting recalled.

“I think that motivation has been there the whole time,” he said. “Brauner is an awesome guy and whatever I need to do, I’ll do. It’s been a lot of fun.”

As one of the youngest guys on the team, Schneider has seemingly reminded the rest of the Rangers what it was like to be that age. After the Rangers triumph in Pittsburgh on Tuesday, Chris Kreider was joking around with Schneider during postgame interviews and having genuine fun.

Earlier in the season, defenseman Jacob Trouba mentioned how enthusiastic Schneider is on the bench. When a player like Artemi Panarin makes an eye-catching move, count on Schneider to hoot and holler over it.

“It’s awesome,” Schneider said of being in a playoff race. “We have such a great room of guys and to be able to be playing with everyone on our team and to be part of this is pretty special. I just hope we can keep rolling like we are, it’s been a lot of fun.”