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Game 60: NYR-MIN, trade winds blowing heavily on Zucc and Hayes

February 21, 2019, 1:30 PM ET [402 Comments]
Jan Levine
New York Rangers Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
The Rangers take on the Wild tonight but most of the focus in not on the ice. Instead, it's on the GM suite and the phone lines, as Jeff Gorton looks to move Mats Zuccarello and Kevin Hayes prior to Monday's trade deadline. Any thought that either or both might remain past the deadline, despite all the consternation against that idea, was removed in Larry Brooks' column today. In fast, tonight, presuming each dress, will be their last time as a Ranger at MSG and possibly - nee likely - their last time suiting in a Ranger jersey period.

The contract talks, not surprisingly, have gone nowhere. Hence, Mats Zuccarello and Kevin Hayes will be going somewhere by Monday. Until they do, they have played their last games. Or at least, that’s the call management should make prior to Thursday’s match at the Garden against the free-falling Wild.

It wasn’t necessarily the money, but rather the contract length asks that turned the negotiations with the players’ agents into non-starters, The Post has learned. Not only are extensions effectively off the table, the prospect of July 1 free-agent reunions are most unrealistic. When Zuccarello and Hayes go, you should expect them to stay gone.

Zuccarello, who agreed under some duress to a club-friendly four-year extension at the 2015 deadline, is believed to be seeking five years this time around. The 31-year-old probably will be able to get it on the open market on July 1, but that type of commitment is not viable for the Rangers. Hayes, who will turn 27 during the playoffs, is believed to be seeking six or seven years. That’s too much for the Blueshirts, who could have signed the center to a five-year deal over the summer but passed.


I will tackle both individually. Zuccarello did sign a lower than market deal in 2015 to stay with New York. He has gone his heart and soul to the Rangers, leaving it all on the ice nightly and playing bigger than his size. A five-year contract is most certainly on the ballpark for what he should expect to receive in free agency; the question being dollars. Would an AAV around his current $4.5 million be that outrageous, seeing what has been doled out the past few seasons on July 1? Factor in the rise of the cap as well from $79.5 to $83 million and that AAV looks fairly reasonable, though I could see something in the five-year, $21 million range where he signs. If Zucc had remained, he might have worn the C on his chest seeing what he has meant to the organization. He should receive a tremendous send off from the Garden faithful tonight.

Hayes is a bit more complex. His production was sporadic and intensity lagged the first few seasons he was in New York. The former spiked when he was moved out of solely operating as a shut-down center, seeing the majority of his zone starts in the defensive zone, to a more offensive-minded one. He showed improved dedication last season and has taken a major step forward under new coach David Quinn. I was all on board giving him a five-year deal with a $6 million AAV last offseason.

Instead, the two sides only reached accord on a one-year deal paving the way for Hayes to be a UFA after the season. This is in Gorton for not signing him long term, especially since his signing price has now risen, due to his fine season, for both years and dollars. In addition, the lack of any true negotiations during the season, at least until recently, means Hayes will go by Monday. That too is on Gorton.

I bring you back to a few seasons ago when the complaints were the team had no center depth. Then, with Mika Zibanejad, Hayes, Brett Howden, Filip Chytil and Andersson, the team finally have enviable depth to the point where everyone was worried who would play where. Now with Hayes gone, the hope has to be Chytil can be a 2c because no one else in the organization can really fill that role. If Jack Hughes is drafted, then he might be a 2c, but as I have said, people have underestimated Hayes’ importance which may be all too apparent once he is gone.

As of now, Zucc, Hayes and Adam McQuaid all are slated to play tonight. The call up of Lias Andersson today might mean the bubble wrap will be on all three despite Quinn’s intentions to play them. Settle in, four more days to go until the deadline. Who else might go - Jimmy Vesey, Vladislav Namestnikov, Chris Kreider- is unknown.

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