NHL Trade Rumors: New York Rangers getting calls about Kevin Hayes
According to the latest NHL trade rumors, the New York Rangers are getting calls about center Kevin Hayes
The New York Rangers have begun a rebuild. They’ve already accumulated an impressive amount of assets at the 2018 NHL trade deadline. But the Rangers aren’t done yet. With seven restricted free agents, including four forwards, the latest NHL trade rumors say they are likely to trade one. Larry Brooks from the New York Post is reporting the Rangers are fielding calls about RFA center Kevin Hayes.
Brooks says the blue shirts are weighing their options and he could be traded around the 2018 NHL Draft. The Rangers already have seven picks in the first three rounds, including three first-round picks. But they’re looking into moving up, and that’s where Hayes comes in. He could also help them get even more draft picks.
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However, don’t expect the Rangers to make any decisions about Hayes until they figure out the futures of Ryan Spooner and Vladislav Namestnikov. They acquired those two at the trade deadline. Both are restricted free agents.
Spooner was stellar with the Rangers, amassing four goals and 16 points in 20 games. Namestnikov did very well with the Tampa Bay Lightning but only had four points in 19 games on Broadway.
It’s worth noting the Rangers drafted two centers, Lias Andersson and Filip Chytil, at the 2017 NHL Draft. So they’ll likely be moving out a center in the near future if they don’t get a head start on it this summer.
Hayes would be another significant piece to leave New York. He set a career high in 2017-18, posting 25 goals. 17 of them even strength, six came on the power play, and two of them were shorthanded. Hayes also averaged a career-high 17:21 of ice time per game.
Next: Rangers Ideal Offseason Moves
The Rangers currently have Mika Zibanejad, Hayes, Chytil, Andersson, Spooner, Namestnikov, Peter Holland, Brett Howden, and Boo Nieves as center options for their NHL roster next season. It will be interesting to see if they choose to go with a versatile lineup with some of those centers playing on the wing or if they’ll use their surplus of centers to try and address their defensive concerns. They could send down the younger ones as well.
Of those listed centers, Zibanejad would probably command the highest price tag. But the Rangers will likely keep him because he’s proven to be a very capable top line center for them. After Zibanejad, Hayes is their next center with the most trade value.
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