New York Rangers Stock Market: end of the season report

Up: Kevin Hayes

Kevin Hayes has started to blossom right before our eyes.

Though Hayes was forced into a role he is not comfortable in, he played some of his best hockey this season. He ended the year with 25 goals and 19 assists for 44 points in 76 games. Though not a career year points wise, his 25 goals set a new high from his previous 17.

Hayes’ entire game took large steps forward this year. Alain Vigneault put Hayes in a more defensive role, which initially stifled his offensive production. The more comfortable he became, the more his point totals began to climb. Point wise, he was relatively cold for most of the season. It became frustrating to watch because while he was doing all the right things, he simply could not find the back of the net.

Hayes finally had a breakthrough after the trade deadline. When the Rangers acquired Ryan Spooner in the Rick Nash trade, Hayes found himself a new line mate. In turn, he found his game. After being paired with Spooner, Hayes put up 16 points in 20 games. This pace was far better than the 28 points in 56 games he had prior to the deadline.

Next year, I predict that Hayes will soar. With the firing of Alain Vigneault, Hayes will finally be allowed to be the creative player that he can be. He will no longer have to struggle to play a defensive game in order to not be benched, though his defensive abilities have improved drastically. The one thing left for management to do is make sure Kevin Hayes is a New York Ranger for a very long time.