Rangers Roundup: Trading Hayes and looks like Nylander will stay in Toronto

Anthony Scultore Nov 26, 2018

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Nylander In Toronto

Looks like Nylander will be staying in Maple Leafs’ Blue. The latest news out of Toronto is that both sides are nearing an agreement on a deal. What isn’t known for sure is if it will be a bridge deal or a longterm contract for the talented young forward.

Over the last several days we’ve been given hints and clues from everyone like Leafs coach, Mike Babcock to a random fan in Columbus. However, it’s tweets like these that have to make you think Nylander is done sitting and wants to play.

David Pastrnak on close friend William Nylander: “It’s definitely hard for him to not play now.”

Adds that he doesn’t regret signing his $6.67M, six-year deal before missing time last season: “I *could be playing in Czech, right? For a couple hundred bucks per month.”

— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) November 26, 2018

Trading Hayes

One of the most talked about players heading into the off season was Kevin Hayes. Then he signed a one year “show me” deal and became one of the Rangers we will be talking about all season until we hit the trade deadline.

Yesterday, Larry Brooks wrote the following:

There are two legitimate reasons for the Rangers to trade Hayes and neither has anything to do with rebuilding. One is if Gorton does not believe the pending free-agent center is worth the contract it would take to keep him off the market and in New York. The other is if the GM could acquire either a goal-scoring winger or top-four defenseman under multiple years of contract control who would enhance the Rangers’ chance of contending over the next three or four years, max.

Kevin Hayes has been playing very well for the Rangers as of late. I also concur with Brooks that trading him would have nothing to do with the rebuild at this point. That is because if you can’t come to terms with Hayes before the deadline, then he needs to go.

The real dilemma comes if Gorton gets too close to the deadline to make this deal without a resolution with the contract. Hayes is slated to become a UFA, which makes him a rental. That means the longer you wait then any hopes of landing said pieces above are good as gone too.

By Anthony Scultore

Anthony Scultore has been covering the New York Rangers and the NHL since 2014. His work also appears at... More about Anthony Scultore