Player Discussion Kevin Hayes Part III

[Ori]

Hayes is playing very well in the old Stepan`s role as a shutdown line as center - and it will be some difficult decisions who to keep on this team going forward the next couple of years based on Gorton drafting strategies or was it rather impulsive? I still wish we ended up with #30 from last year draft in 2017. However we have new chances in the 2018 draft with some good natural wingers there at least in the top #10 - so we need to keep our #1st in 2018 - and don`t buy anything similar to an Eric Staal trade some years ago even though we might end up as a Wildcard team.

 

[ecemleafs]

Hayes has been having shifts where hes literally had the puck on his stick for 30+ seconds. might only result in a shot or 2 but he literally possesses the puck and it wont show in his corsi/other shot metrics.

 

[will1066]

That's always been his game. His hands are quicker now, which is the key.

 

[trilobyte]

He seems to have a better idea what to do with that possession. Witness a great play by him in the first period in the Rangers zone. He gets the puck, looks around, sees no reason not to head-man the puck and takes it quickly straight up the ice, not meandering east-west. It was a great play. I don't remember Hayes looking to play such a simplified game, a more direct go for it style. It could be me cherry picking the plays and seeing what I want to see, but I have always wanted to see Hayes traded just because I saw no improvement, and I am not feeling that same way now. I like his play quite a bit.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Why was Hayes such a less heralded player than Vesey? They were both picked up under similar circumstances but Hayes is clearly much more talented.

 

[will1066]

He seems to have a better idea what to do with that possession. Witness a great play by him in the first period in the Rangers zone. He gets the puck, looks around, sees no reason not to head-man the puck and takes it quickly straight up the ice, not meandering east-west. It was a great play. I don't remember Hayes looking to play such a simplified game, a more direct go for it style. It could be me cherry picking the plays and seeing what I want to see, but I have always wanted to see Hayes traded just because I saw no improvement, and I am not feeling that same way now. I like his play quite a bit.

I think you're right. His decision making has improved. He's not waiting for the play to develop like in previous years. He would habitually enter the zone and hold the puck at the blue line or top of the circles and wait to make a play.

 

[darko]

Why was Hayes such a less heralded player than Vesey? They were both picked up under similar circumstances but Hayes is clearly much more talented.

Probably because he won Hobey Baker. 2 previous winners were Eichel and Johnny Hockey.

 

[Inferno]

Yeah and didn't Hayes play with j.g.? Ppl thought his numbers were artificially inflated.

 

[darko]

Yeah and didn't Hayes play with j.g.? Ppl thought his numbers were artificially inflated.

He did.

 

[bl02]

Huge game. factored in on 3 goals in first game back after a knee contusion. Criticize all you want but right now he's the number one center on this team. JT did play well but a lot of thanks goes to Hayes for that

 

[NJRangers35]

What are everyone's thoughts on Hayes? I was very down on him coming into this year as the number 2 center. His game has really grown on me and have enjoyed watching him this season. What type of deal would you be comfortable giving to him this off-season? I want him here long-term and to continue to grow with the young core we are about to bring in.

 

[pld459666]

I'm glad you found this thread. the kid has been on fire since coming back from injury.

14 points in the 16 games played since the injury.

Hope he keeps it up the rest of the season

 

[eco's bones]

He's been our best forward for the last month.

 

[nyrage]

He was my personal whipping boy (of the forwards) coming into this season. Aside from not shooting when he has great chances, I haven't had much to complain about at all. Good season. He's been good defensively. His offensive stats would be much better if he just attempted more shots. He's on a good run now.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

With Nash, Grabner, Miller, McDonagh gone, and the likelihood of Zuccarello being traded, Hayes has stepped up as the new leader of this team. There is something about him that is different. As if someone was holding him back. Could it have been Miller?

 

[eco's bones]

Hayes has the same 18 goals 14 assists that Zibanejad has and Mika's been in an offensive role all year with the lion's share of the power play time. Desharnais was getting most of the rest. Hayes only recently started getting power play. Hayes has gotten the toughest matchups. I'm going to bring the most dreaded +/- into the conversation. Most Rangers players over the past month those numbers have plummeted. That shouldn't be a surprise--we've given up a lot of goals--we've got all these young D getting their feet wet. Hayes has been the exception--his have actually risen. Buchnevich is another who has managed to tread water kind of. Hayes IMO has been a rock for the team for a while now--dependable, steady, composed, not running around lost.

 

[Blais to Win]

Absolutely. He's going to be a vital part of this team moving forward - and I think he could come in at a real bargain contract in terms of what he gives and what he can do.

 

[romba]

With Nash, Grabner, Miller, McDonagh gone, and the likelihood of Zuccarello being traded, Hayes has stepped up as the new leader of this team. There is something about him that is different. As if someone was holding him back. Could it have been Miller?

I noticed it a bit all this season, he barely smiles when he scores, maybe will flash a smile in response to a teammate and then it’s gone as quickly as it came, he has a stronger focus and has a more professional approach. I think he’s maturing and understanding the opportunity he has and what it will take for him to have the greatest success at the career he’s chosen for himself.

 

[PlamsUnlimited]

I think Hayes changed this season. I didn't like the demeanor he carried but he either had a wake up call, or something. I really don't know how he gets some points sometimes but I hope he keeps it up.

 

[Mac n Gs]

So glad he’s making me eat crow. I shit on him all least season and he’s giving me a big ol’ f*** you with how he’s accepted a defensive role and crushed it

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

He's been our best forward for the last month.

He's been our best forward for the entire season.

Zero complaints with his game.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

Some players take longer to develop and I know it's been a week since the Miller trade, but Hayes looks happier out there. Maybe I am jumping to conclusions based on the rumours of Miller being a locker room issue. but it wouldn't be the first time we see players flourish when others are traded away. The leadership vacuum created by trading McDonagh and Nash might also motivate him to step up

 

[GAGLine]

Hayes will be 26 in May. Sign him for 5 or 6 years. That will bring him to 31/32, which IMO is the perfect age to have his contract end. We will get his best years and then can either move him or try to re-sign him short term if it makes sense based on his play and where the team is in the standings. If we can get him between 4 and 4.5 mil per year, that's a great contract.

 

[Mac n Gs]

Some players take longer to develop and I know it's been a week since the Miller trade, but Hayes looks happier out there. Maybe I am jumping to conclusions based on the rumours of Miller being a locker room issue. but it wouldn't be the first time we see players flourish when others are traded away. The leadership vacuum created by trading McDonagh and Nash might also motivate him to step up

This is actually something I’ve been curious about. We know AV leaves the room to his leaders, so who’s stepped up after Nash and McD were traded?

 

[eco's bones]

Some players take longer to develop and I know it's been a week since the Miller trade, but Hayes looks happier out there. Maybe I am jumping to conclusions based on the rumours of Miller being a locker room issue. but it wouldn't be the first time we see players flourish when others are traded away. The leadership vacuum created by trading McDonagh and Nash might also motivate him to step up

FWIW Miller said a lot of nice things about the Rangers after the trade. He might have had issues now and again with the coaching staff but I never really got the impression he was seriously unhappy here. One of his issues was his inconsistency-there were a couple times when he seemed on the verge of taking his game to a much higher level. Then he'd disappear for a stretch. He was going through a period lately of very poor decision making with the puck. He's had periods of that before.

Namestnikov so far looks like a much smarter player and brings a lot of the better elements of Miller's game. IMO Miller could turn into a real beast with Tampa. Players tend to go up a level playing on championship teams and Tampa has a very good shot at that the next couple season.