Category: Kevin Hayes Rumors

Kevin Hayes can be an Unrestricted Free Agent on July 1, 2019 but the Rangers can extend him starting on January 1, 2019? Will he get extended before the trade deadline and stay with the Rangers or be traded and become a UFA on 7/1?

Artemi Panarin Rangers, Kevin Hayes, Kevin Hayes Rumors, Mats Zuccarello Rumors

The plan for the Rangers with the trade deadline two weeks from today

Posted on by Adam Rotter

Pierre LeBrun lists the Rangers as sellers heading into the 2/25 trade deadline and notes that Kevin Hayes and Mats Zuccarello are their “most promising items.” (The Athletic)

He notes that Adam McQuaid is “likely” to be moved and that the Rangers are listening on players like Vlad Namestnikov, noting that he can be had “for the right price.” (The Athletic)

Bob McKenzie said last week on NBCSN that if the Rangers could get a “first round pick and something” for Hayes it would be “fantastic” and a similar return for Zuccarello “would be great too.”

LeBrun says that clearing cap space to make a run at Artemi Panarin “and/or Erik Karlsson” are possibilities. (The Athletic)

LeBrun noted in December that Panarin would be a good fit with the Rangers as a UFA and that Karlsson and Henrik Lundqvist are good friends.

LeBrun notes that he likes Dallas as a fit for Zuccarello and Hayes as a potential fit in Columbus. (The Athletic)

Zuccarello currently sits 6th on TSN‘s trade bait board, Hayes is 14, McQuaid is 29, Chris Kreider is 32 and Namestnikov is 43.

It’s unlikely that the Rangers will move Kreider unless they get a significant return.

Adam Rotter: The Rangers were in a good spot with the trade deadline a few weeks ago but as Artemi Panarin, Matt Duchene and Mark Stone have come up players like Kevin Hayes and Mats Zuccarello have fallen a bit to the back burner. It’s understandable as those three players are all potential top-liners while Hayes and Zuccarello are more likely second-liners. What this means is that Hayes and Zuccarello are likely going to be dealt after decisions on those three players have been made. The Rangers are surely having conversations with teams about Hayes and Zuccarello but those trades may not happen until much closer to the deadline.

Adam McQuaid could probably be moved at any time and will probably be the first Ranger to go in the same way that Nick Holden was last year. He’s a depth player and should be easier to move than the other two. I think there should be a lot of interest in Namestnikov as a top-nine forward that is pretty responsible and has offensive ability. I don’t think the Rangers will get a ton for him, but a second round pick for a player who is signed through next season would be a good return. I think the player the Rangers would love to move the mot would be Brendan Smith. That will be a tall order since he has two-years left on his contract, after this season, with a cap hit of $4.35 million and has been in and out of the lineup. The Rangers would likely have to retain some salary, take a bad contract back or package him with someone else for a lower return of assets. Any relief from Smith’s cap hit, or Namestnikov’s, would be big for the Rangers as they look to gain as much flexibility as possible this summer to sign or acquire players and get the team back to the playoffs. Most believe that Erik Karlsson will remain in San Jose but there are some that think he could join up with good friend Henrik Lundqvist and former Ottawa teammate Mika Zibanejad as a free agent. San Jose was willing to pay up to sign John Tavares so I’d think they will do everything they can to prevent Karlsson from leaving.

Kevin Hayes, Kevin Hayes Rumors, Mats Zuccarello Rumors

The chance that Zuccarello and Hayes are traded but return this summer

Posted on by Adam Rotter

Larry Brooks wonders, in the NY Post, about the idea of the Rangers trading both Kevin Hayes and Mats Zuccarello prior to the trade deadline but then re-sign them as UFAs on July 1.

Brooks notes that this is a rarely seen move in the NHL but that Antoine Vermette, in 2015, and Keith Tkachuk, in 2007, both returned to the teams that traded them. (NY Post)

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Kevin Hayes, Kevin Hayes Rumors

Is there is a match with the Avs and Rangers for Kevin Hayes?

Posted on by Adam Rotter

The Rangers have had scouts following the Avs the last few weeks and there has been speculation in the past linking Kevin Hayes to Colorado.

Adrian Dater says that there is almost “no chance” that the Avs will trade for Hayes because Colorado is not going to trade “top prospects or top draft picks” for a rental or short-term help. (BSN Denver)

Elliotte Friedman writes at Sportsnet that the Rangers “primary interests” in a return for Hayes are not likely to come from the NHL level. (Sportsnet)

He notes that an “obvious connection” with the Rangers and Avs would be Colorado prospect Shane Bowers (27th overall in 2017) because he spent last season at BU under David Quinn. (Sportsnet)

Friedman adds that the Avs are going to “zealously protect” their top prospects and picks. (Sportsnet)

Mark Kiszla writes in the Denver Post that the Avs should trade for Hayes but that it only makes sense if Colorado wants to sign him long-term. (Denver Post)

Adam Rotter: Hayes would fit with the Avs but I’m not sure there is a great fit with the Rangers and Avs to strike a deal for him. Colorado certainly has the picks, prospects and young assets to acquire Hayes but they don’t seem inclined to move any of them, certainly not for a rental. There is likely to be a ton of interest in Hayes and that should allow the Rangers to get, at the very least, something similar to what they got in return for Rick Nash last year. That is, of course, if the Rangers decide to move Hayes.

Kevin Hayes, Kevin Hayes Rumors, Mats Zuccarello Rumors

Players the Rangers may look to move before the deadline

Posted on by Adam Rotter

Darren Dreger was on NBCSN and said the following about the Rangers:

  • On Mats Zuccarello, “He is a veteran forward that is going to augment what some teams have in their push to contend for a Stanley Cup. Zuccarello has been an excellent Ranger, a quality leader, at 31 he has time left to deliver some good hockey but not in the direction the Rangers would be going in to sign him.”
  • On Kevin Hayes, “The Rangers have not decided officially if they are going to trade Kevin Hayes because he is valuable and now and in the future but it’s all about what is being offered. They will gauge that interest and if the interest is there and it’s a deal that makes sense they will make that trade, otherwise they will explore the possibility of extending his contract.”
  • On Adam McQuaid, “he’s 32-years old, if he stays healthy enough there is going to be interest in Adam McQuaid. Right shot D are always valuable. He can be a beast provided that he can stay healthy. It’s nice to have depth and a bit of bite and physicality in the lineup.”

Adam Rotter: I think it’s realistic to assume that Mats Zuccarello, as a rental, could bring the same type of return that Michael Grabner did last year (2nd round pick, prospect Yegor Rykov). Depending on the team acquiring Zuccarello the Rangers may be able to push for a conditional first round pick based upon how far that team goes, but it’s likely not going to be a guaranteed first rounder or top prospect unless Zuccarello heats up and starts producing like crazy.

McQuaid can probably net, at least, the fourth round pick the Rangers sent to Boston to get him in the first place, but as Dreger notes, he has to be healthy. I think he is valuable as a leader and a mentor of sorts for someone like Brady Skjei and Neal Pionk but he isn’t part of the future and the Rangers are likely going to want to get a look at Libor Hajek and/or Ryan Lindgren at some point.

Vlad Namestnikov could be another potential option to move since he can slot into almost any top-nine role and would provide great depth for a team, but I don’t think the Rangers are going to give him away.

Then, of course, there is Kevin Hayes and his situation has been discussed at length. Hayes could be a difference maker for a playoff team and the Rangers will ask a lot for him even though he is a rental. I think you can look at the Central Division and pick any number of teams where Hayes could have an impact. That bodes well for the Rangers because it should drive the price up and land them some nice assets. That is, of course, if the Rangers decide to move Hayes at all.

Kevin Hayes, Kevin Hayes Rumors

The Kevin Hayes situation the Rangers are in

Posted on by Adam Rotter

12/29 | Hayes’ agent said this week that he has “no idea” what the Rangers are going to do with Hayes and no talks are currently scheduled. (The Athletic)

12/26 | Kevin Hayes is currently on a seven-game point streak that has seen him net five goals and eight assists.

He has eight goals and nineteen assist in his past 24 games and the Rangers can sign him to a contract extension starting on January 1, 2019.

He is currently on a one-year deal worth $5.175 million and is slated to be an unrestricted free agent on July 1, 2019.

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Hayes said recently that he isn’t expecting anything to happen on January 1 with a new contract and also isn’t thinking about the possibility of being moved at the deadline. (Newsday)

  • The NHL Trade Deadline is at 2/25/19 at 3PM.

He said that he has stepped up as someone with a “big voice” in the locker room and tries to lead by example. (Newsday)

He noted that the big step in his game has come from him realizing he had to be “good every night” if the Rangers were to be successful. (Newsday)

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