New York Rangers: A definitive ranking of the restricted free agents

2. Kevin Hayes

Kevin Hayes is one of the most important players the Rangers currently have on their roster.

Hayes put up another solid season with the Rangers, recording a career-high 25 goals and a respectable 19 assists for 44 points this season.

In just his fourth season for the Rangers, he established himself as one of the most dangerous point generators on the roster. He just needs the opportunity to use the full breadth of his skill.

Vigneault and the 25-year-old center had a complicated relationship. Vigneault benched Hayes for a good portion of his second season, and yet Hayes still managed to maintain his numbers.

Coming into the 2016-17 season, there was an evident jump to Hayes’s game after he lost 25 pounds in the offseason. More and more, there were signs of just how much talent Hayes had.

However, Vigneault severely misused him, forcing him to play as a defensive-minded forward in the latter half of the season.

This year was a much better representation of how Hayes should be played. But he still started 57.3 percent of shifts in the defensive zone. He should be taking face offs in the offensive zone because while he is a solid two-way player, his true ability lies on the offensive end of the ice.

His goal totals sky-rocketed in the second half of the season, and he proved that this should be what he is put on the ice to do.

The Rangers need to focus their attention on extending Hayes. He has continued to progress despite the unusual roles he has played in. In doing so, he has proven that once he’s given the chance, he will be one of the most successful forwards on the team.

The bottom line is that Hayes will be a key piece to the Rangers’ success in years to come.