New York Rangers News: Kevin Hayes Signs With The New York Rangers
According to several reports, the New York Rangers have landed Kevin Hayes, the top college free agent out of Boston College.
After several days of radio silence, it appears as if Glen Sather has finally landed his man. According to a report from Mark Divver, Kevin Hayes is officially Broadway bound after agreeing to terms with the New York Rangers. It was reported last night that the Rangers were considered one of the finalists, along with the Colorado Avalanche.
This is obviously a major haul for the Rangers, as they've essentially replaced their 2014 1st round pick that was sent to the Tampa Bay Lightning for Martin St. Louis. On top of that, Hayes is expected to compete for a third line role right out of the gate, and could potentially fill the role that was vacated by Benoit Pouliot. Obviously Hayes isn't a lock to make the team out of camp, but with his size and potential scoring ability, he has just as much of a shot as anyone.
As it stands right now, following the Hayes addition, the Rangers are right up against the contract limit with 50. That number does include John Moore, however, as he is the last remaining piece the Rangers need to work with this summer. With this move giving the Rangers some flexibility problems, I expect there to be at least one minor move to free up some contract space.
But for now, Kevin Hayes is officially a New York Ranger. How awesome is that?