As the NHL draft draws near and trade talks intensify, the New York Rangers are receiving significant interest in forward Kevin Hayes, sources indicated to Larry Brooks of the New York Post.
The 26-year-old Hayes is a restricted free agent fresh off a campaign in which he scored a career-high 25 goals. He has spent the last four seasons with the Rangers after joining as a free agent in 2014.
Coming off a two-year contract that carried a $2.6-million cap hit, Hayes' departure would mark the latest big-name player to leave the Rangers, following in the footsteps of Ryan McDonagh, J.T. Miller, and Rick Nash, who were shipped out at last year's trade deadline. The Blueshirts also parted ways with longtime forward Derek Stepan at the 2017 draft.
While Brooks does not indicate what the Rangers would seek in return for Hayes, prospects or draft picks seem logical with the team in the early stages of a rebuild. Prior to last year's trade deadline, the club released a letter to fans indicating it could deal "familiar faces" in order to recoup younger talent.
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