Proposal: Blue Jackets-Flyers

[CBJx614]

If he's not playing center I don't think Columbus is very interested unless they are acquiring him heavily retained and as a winger.

 

[Rich Nixon]

Hayes has 49 points total in 1183:04.

He has 23 points in 466:25 with TK

https://www.naturalstattrick.com/playerreport.php?fromseason=20222023&thruseason=20222023&stype=2&sit=all&stdoi=std&rate=n&v=t&playerid=8475763

Wish that could be sorted by date, but I'd suspect ~75% of those minutes with TK were in the first 30 games. He essentially scored at an 80 point pace for that stretch of the season and a 45-point pace over the 36 games since. Will end up the best season of his career, but it was mostly driven by another player's two-month hot streak.

I dunno. Hayes is fine as depth on a good team--he was very good for one season under Vigneault, even though his numbers weren't eye-popping. But on his own, just a pretty loathsome player to watch. Lazy, non-committal perimeter player. Can lug a puck through the neutral zone pretty well, but doesn't do much once he reaches his destination. Someone will take him and they'll get what they get out of him, but he's a placeholder if he's anywhere above the third line, and not suited to be a third-liner on a team that isn't deep.

 

[Curufinwe]

If he's not playing center I don't think Columbus is very interested unless they are acquiring him heavily retained and as a winger.

He can play center if CBJ wants him, too.

 

[majormajor]

Why? Columbus would easily fit Kevin Hayes into their salary structure as the cap goes up every year also the Jackets don’t have any extensions kicking in and there is not an major RFA’s or potential UFA’s that need to be resigned until next season.

We really don't know if the Jackets might want that cap space in 2024 or in 2025. They could easily have better uses come up (did anyone predict Gaudreau to the Jackets two years ago? It's funny that Gaudreau is on the Jackets because Hayes' contract got in the way.) Committing $6m in cap to a guy you probably don't need in those years is unwise.

If it was $3m retention I'd probably still say no, I don't think Hayes is a good fit. I think the Flyers are probably stuck between heavy retention and a buyout, they don't have another option and it should be more than $1m retention if they find a taker.

 

[BB88]

Hayes solves zero issues for Columbus.

& especially if they land a top3 pick they should stay away

 

[CBJx614]

He can play center if CBJ wants him, too.

It doesn't matter if we want him to it's a matter of can he play it effectively or better than one of KJ/Jenner/(Bedard/Fantilli/Carlson)

 

[Viqsi]

Where does this meme about Hayes contract sucking come from? He's on pace for 60+ points as a big C on the most dysfunctional team in the NHL. Did anyone other than Panarin or Seth Jones do better under Torts in Columbus than Hayes is doing under Torts in Philly?

Atkinson, Saad, Dubois, even Wennberg at one point and we ultimately bought him out.

 

[Maurice of Orange]

We really don't know if the Jackets might want that cap space in 2024 or in 2025. They could easily have better uses come up (did anyone predict Gaudreau to the Jackets two years ago? It's funny that Gaudreau is on the Jackets because Hayes' contract got in the way.) Committing $6m in cap to a guy you probably don't need in those years is unwise.

If it was $3m retention I'd probably still say no, I don't think Hayes is a good fit. I think the Flyers are probably stuck between heavy retention and a buyout, they don't have another option and it should be more than $1m retention if they find a taker.

Jackets could always add somewhere else via trade as the free agent market is weak this summer, Columbus does need help down the middle as others have stated but Hayes might not be what Jarmo is looking for even if the Jackets get Bedard with the 1st overall selection.

It would be a mistake on the Flyers part to retain heavily or buyout Hayes this far out in his contract as he still produces points and is a good locker room veteran to learn from.

Columbus has a better team then what the standings indicate due to a massive amount of injuries that have decimated their lineup from the start of the season.

Was messing around and made a next season Columbus lineup with Hayes and Bedard on it and took Roslovic off the lineup. The Jackets could use a 2nd pairing LD maybe via trade or free agency if they can make some space on the roster. This is not what the Jackets lineup will look like next season it is just for conversation.

Line 1 LW Gaudreau C Hayes RW Laine
Line 2 LW Johnson C Bedard RW Marchenko
Line 3 LW Robinson C Jenner RW Danforth
Line 4 LW Sillinger C Kuraly RW Olivier

1st Pair LD Werenski RD Jiricek
2nd Pair LD Bean RD Blankenburg
3rd Pair LD Berni RD Peeke

Goalies:
Starter: Merzlikins
Backup: Tarasov

Scratches:
RW Bemstrom
RD Gudbranson
RD Boqvist

LW Foudy < Waivers back to AHL
C Pederson < unqualified RFA
LD Bayreuther < UFA
G Hutchinson < UFA
LW Texier < Unknown if he’ll return to NHL next season

 

[majormajor]

Jackets could always add somewhere else via trade as the free agent market is weak this summer, Columbus does need help down the middle as others have stated but Hayes might not be what Jarmo is looking for even if the Jackets get Bedard with the 1st overall selection.

It would be a mistake on the Flyers part to retain heavily or buyout Hayes this far out in his contract as he still produces points and is a good locker room veteran to learn from.

Columbus has a better team then what the standings indicate due to a massive amount of injuries that have decimated their lineup from the start of the season.

Was messing around and made a next season Columbus lineup with Hayes and Bedard on it and took Roslovic off the lineup. The Jackets could use a 2nd pairing LD maybe via trade or free agency if they can make some space on the roster. This is not what the Jackets lineup will look like next season it is just for conversation.

Line 1 LW Gaudreau C Hayes RW Laine
Line 2 LW Johnson C Bedard RW Marchenko
Line 3 LW Robinson C Jenner RW Danforth
Line 4 LW Sillinger C Kuraly RW Olivier

1st Pair LD Werenski RD Jiricek
2nd Pair LD Bean RD Blankenburg
3rd Pair LD Berni RD Peeke

Goalies:
Starter: Merzlikins
Backup: Tarasov

Scratches:
RW Bemstrom
RD Gudbranson
RD Boqvist

LW Foudy < Waivers back to AHL
C Pederson < unqualified RFA
LD Bayreuther < UFA
G Hutchinson < UFA
LW Texier < Unknown if he’ll return to NHL next season

That's certainly a more respectable lineup.

I'll add that it seems very likely that Texier will return (he's planned an announcement for immediately after the Swiss season is over) and we also tend to think that Voronkov will push his way into somewhere in the bottom six. Sillinger might not be NHL caliber next year or he might actually command a center spot on a scoring line, we don't know what he'll do.

My point is that there's a lot of potential options for 3C and there's no particular need to put Boone Jenner there. He's got 6 goals in the last 10 games next to Gaudreau, seems like he's a good fill in in that spot.

The other big debate is whether Kent Johnson is ready to play center. He looked good there in short sample and his defensive results have been some of the best on the club this year. It's just the faceoffs that appears to be lagging.

I would like to do Jenner and KJ at top six center next year.

 

[Rebels57]

Hayes with 50% retention would be a lot more desireable. That would be 3 years at $3.55 and Columbus can pair him up with his good friend Gaudreau.

 

[Barnaby]

Surely if the Flyers are willing to retain salary Hayes is worth more than a mediocre player 1 year away from UFA. Also I don't think cap space is what Flyers need, they need to build the team. Retain 50% and get actual good piece for the future.

Like why is freeing up cap space a priority to the Flyers, at all?

In theory, Philly should retain 50% if they can get back a good asset(s). In reality, teams seldom retain that much over an extended period.

 

[rockinghockey]

Hayes contract is one of many that when I saw the signing I was another bad signing from a GM. When will these guys learn?

 

[CanuckistanFlyerfan]

Hayes solves zero issues for Columbus.

& especially if they land a top3 pick they should stay away

He could help them land a top 2.

 

[stevo61]

He could help them land a top 2.

They dont appear to need help.