Rumor: Blackhawks' Kevin Hayes on Rangers radar?

[nevesis]

His junior season ended abruptly with a thigh injury that necessitated several surgeries, but Hayes is expected to be healthy and ready for his senior season at Boston College. He should be a top forward for the Eagles in all situations. The Blackhawks will surely look to get Hayes under contract following the completion of his college season and likely have him finish out the year in Rockford.

Hope that doesn't cause any issues going forward.

 

[RangerBoy]

Divver reported location was important for Hayes.

 

[HatTrick Swayze]

Is Hayes closer than JT?

I would say no given that JT has 2 years of pro hockey under his belt. But it is easier to break in as a wing.

 

[Raspewtin]

Very pleased to get him.

Gorton + Sather have done a great job harvesting the UDFA market, to sort of make up for the traded picks.

 

[iamthewalrus]

I hate going by stats but Kevin out scored Kreider by 20 points (more goals and a ton more assists) in his final season in BU and Kreids played 4 more games.

Who is Kevin Hayes compared to?

Hayes played on one of the best lines in all of college hockey last year, and Gaudreau was an absolute monster. Stats were most definitely inflated, but he still has the potential to be an above-average NHLer.

I don't know enough about him to make a comparison though. I know he's like 6'2" 200-ish

 

[bernmeister]

recommend \ thread
new one up for our section (signings confirmed)

 

[YoSoyLalo]

Front office has done a shrewd job of replenishing our depth. If Hayes makes the team, Stempniak (a 30-40 point middle sixer) could end up on our 4th line.

 

[RangerBoy]

Chris Dilks is a hockey blogger who knows his stuff. He blogs at SBNation now after blogging about the WCHA before it disbanded. He compared Hayes to David Backes.

 

[Vidic15*]

It will be interesting to see how the contract breaks down. I'm sure some of the bonuses are based off games played, which will give Hayes extra incentive to make the team right out of camp.

Hayes had way more assists this year than goals. Doesn't that suggest Gaudreau was benefiting more from Hayes rather than vice versa?

 

[Tawnos]

It will be interesting to see how the contract breaks down. I'm sure some of the bonuses are based off games played, which will give Hayes extra incentive to make the team right out of camp.

Hayes had way more assists this year than goals. Doesn't that suggest Gaudreau was benefiting more from Hayes rather than vice versa?

As a counterpoint... it could also mean that Hayes was just giving Gaudreau the puck and letting him work his magic.

 

[RangerBoy]

Sather is out fishing with Messier and Lowe.

 

[Ola]

The Rangers desperately need size. People here disagree but there were points in the final where LA imposed their size on the Rangers. Yes the Rangers lost three heartbreaking overtime games where the bounce of puck determined the results but the size of the Kings was noticeable.

Mattias Norström did the POs for Swedish TV. He is maybe not the super analytic type, but the guy got a ton of experience and is actually really sharp.

Like 5 minutes into game 1 he said something like "LAK is overwhelming NY infront of NYs net, and completely shielding them from getting infront of Qucik at the other end. NYR better fix this instantly or they will loose this series. You can never win a series in the NHL POs if you loose the battles infront of both nets."

I've heard like Norström do 100 games. He almost never goes out on a limb etc. I recall that the fact that he said that and the way he said it really caught my attention. For this guy it was real obvious that LAKs ability to crash our net real hard was not going to work out well for us. And it didn't. When everything was said and done, that was basically what it came down to. And we are smaller now than we were last season.

AV knows this from playing in the West.

 

[Fugazy]

Can't say enough how much I love this move. Glad he wanted to play here as well.

 

[rangers1314]

whats his projection in terms of position? I see him listed mainly as a RW, but people have mentioned hes played Center before? I assume NYR seem him as a winger?

 

[iamthewalrus]

It will be interesting to see how the contract breaks down. I'm sure some of the bonuses are based off games played, which will give Hayes extra incentive to make the team right out of camp.

Hayes had way more assists this year than goals. Doesn't that suggest Gaudreau was benefiting more from Hayes rather than vice versa?

Or Hayes got all of those assists because Gaudreau was a great scorer haha

Either way, this team could use a young playmaker. Hopefully they try him out at center as well as wing

 

[Brady Skjei]

This team has some SERIOUS bottom-6 depth. Hayes, Fast, Miller, Lindberg, Bourque, Lombardi, Glass, Stempniak all battling for 4 spots. Haggerty isn't too far off either.

 

[Championship*]

Out of all the writers, I would think Jim Cerny would be on the ball the most. Guess not.

Jim can't comment on anything till it's made official by the team

 

[NYRSchrute217]

Thrilled we got Hayes. Added a developed first rounder back for free. Adds needed size to the team.

I think he has a real chance to make the team. I'm not sold on Fast as a serviceable option for the team just yet. Think he needs another year in Hartford.

If Hayes can crack the team out of camp we have a really nice problem with too many top 9 options.

Kreider-Stepan-St. Louis
Nash-Brassard-Zuccarello
Hagelin-Miller-Stempniak/Hayes
Stempniak/Hayes-Moore-Lombardi/Glass

Stempniak is a great third liner and him slotting on the 4th would be a good problem to have. It would also likely force Glass to sit which I'm sure everyone will be happy with.

We might be getting ahead of ourselves and Hayes may need to start in Hartford, but I'm thrilled about adding a legit asset for free.

 

[Kakko]

Front office has done a shrewd job of replenishing our depth. If Hayes makes the team, Stempniak (a 30-40 point middle sixer) could end up on our 4th line.

(no lines, just players)

Hagelin - Stepan - Nash
Kreider - Brassard - Zuccarello
Hayes - Miller - MSL
Stempaniak - Moore - no1curr

 

[nevesis]

Not a great skater, lets hope he can put the puck in the net.

 

[Vidic15*]

And we are smaller now than we were last season.

Hayes offsets Pouliot's size and will probably be more physical. Miller is bigger, and plays bigger, than Richards. Boyle's size is irreplaceable but he never played his size to begin with. McIlrath is a possibility to make the team.

 

[RangerBoy]

Cerny is on vacation too.

 

[Ola]

Hayes offsets Pouliot's size and will probably be more physical. Miller is bigger, and plays bigger, than Richards. Boyle's size is irreplaceable but he never played his size to begin with. McIlrath is a possibility to make the team.

Yeah, and of course if Hayes can replace Pouliot from the get go its no issue, but Pouliot's size will be missed.

Like more than anything, the "size" that is valuble in this league right now is not the size that makes a player break his ribs because he was hit by someone being 220 lbs. Or 200 lbs. Its the size on a forward that prevents a D from getting a hold of that forward. Its the reach around the net. Its when a D shift after shift has to move a forward that is 220 instead of 180.

Pouliot hit some in the PO's but over the course of the season he was a pacifist. Sure. But D's couldn't toss him around. He was taller than most players on the ice and even if he wasn't physical he used his size to hid advantage, that counts maybe more than anything else up front right now.

 

[Megustaelhockey]

Signed.

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