Kevin Hayes is not being traded until after January, when we're allowed to negotiate new terms with him. If Hayes wants a 5 year deal, at 5.8/6 million, I'd probably be fine with it. I don't want to go longer. I also don't want to risk losing him for nothing. He's a fantastic player, but our rebuild isn't finished, and we're going to need a lot more young players who can come in and play, relatively soon. Kevin Hayes is one of the odd players out because his contract is currently up. If this was Kreider instead of Hayes, I think we'd be in the same situation. It has nothing to do with wanting to get rid of them.
Kevin Hayes is worth a lot. I don't consider Ottawa's first a lot - I consider that substantial and not a realistic offer. Every NYR fan needs to accept that we're not getting a high first, no outside playoff team is trading for a UFA, unless some unforeseeable contract extension is agreed upon. Hayes makes any team better and the pick will end up anywhere from 18 or later. So if that's the pick we're getting, I want a really good prospect, one that should be projected to either immediately make our roster next year, or the year after, and there needs to be top 6 potential.
I also get why Colorado doesn't want to go all in with their current team and the uncertainties they have this season on being an actual playoff threat. If they thought their only hole was going to be filled in by bringing in Hayes, they'd probably be a little more willing to pay a bigger return for a UFA player with his skill set.
Trading Hayes opens a really big hole on our team. He's a two-way center, who can fill in on any line you put him on. He kills penalties well. He's defensively responsible. He can skate through the neutral zone. He'll be missed.