Bobby Bevilacqua

Photo courtesy of MSG Photos.

Before the Rangers tackle the offseason and try and address their needs, the team has to decide one thing first – how are they planning on using Kevin Hayes in the future?

Hayes had a bit of a sophomore slump this season, scoring three goals and nine points less than he did in his fantastic rookie season. He wasn’t as effective this season, didn’t play with the same confidence or impact and was wrongly scapegoated by Alain Vigneault at times this season.

First off, the notion that the Rangers should part with Kevin Hayes is absolutely ridiculous. You don’t give up on a talented rookie like him simple because of one season where he struggled. So many players have gone through this in the past, struggling early on in their career after a great start in their rookie season (Jonathan Huberdeau, Matt Duchene). It’s not uncommon, and it’s not a reason to bail on a player with a lot of upside. Read the rest of this entry →