With the Senators trading center Matt Duchene earlier today, the first big trade of deadline season has finally occurred. What does it all mean for the Blueshirts? Let’s take a look.
For starters, the deal will set the precedent for Jeff Gorton to negotiate a potential trade involving Kevin Hayes. Duchene is a top-six center on every team in the NHL, and him going to Columbus give the Blue Jackets a bona fide top line with Artemi Panarin on the wing. The belief is that Columbus is gearing up for a playoff run.
This means that Kevin Hayes is now, presumably, the top center on the market. Ottawa giving up two of their better prospects and possibly more gives Jeff Gorton a barometer when it comes to discussing a trade for the Dorchester, MA native. And with Nashville, Boston, Winnipeg, and others rumored to be in the market for Hayes’s services, the Rangers should be able to bring in a nice haul for Hayes if they decide to trade him.
Secondly, as Adam Rotter points out, Columbus trying to make a deep playoff run means Artemi Panarin is off the market, and Mats Zuccarello becomes an even more valuable trade asset for the Rangers. With Ottawa making Mark Stone available for a trade, Zuccarello may not be the best winger available on the market, but the Rangers may be able to increase their asking price for the veteran Norwegian winger.