Both deals seem equitable, and both deals seem like Rangers general manager Jeff Gorton believes the collective “chip on the shoulder” of his team will be the prevailing force to make them better after a disappointing first-round playoff exit this past season.
On Friday, Gorton wrapped up his remaining restricted free agents, inking center Kevin Hayes, 24, to a two-year, $5.2 million deal, with an annual hit of $2.6 million. In the morning, he had signed 25-year-old winger Chris Kreider minutes before his arbitration hearing to a four-year, $18.5 million deal, carrying an annual salary-cap hit of $4.625 million.
So both Boston boys are locked up, and both have quite a bit to prove.
Hayes, at 6-foot-5 and 220 pounds, had a great rookie season in 2014-15, playing third-line center for a team that went to the conference final. But the self-confident guy from Dorchester, Mass., who spurned the Blackhawks after they drafted him in the first round of 2010, fell off a lot in his sophomore campaign.
Hayes registered 14 goals and 36 points this past season compared to the 45-point total from the previous year, and even absorbed a public tongue-lashing from coach Alain Vigneault in mid-season just before he was made a healthy scratch. The Rangers were able to avoid even sending in a briefing for Hayes, whose arbitration hearing was scheduled for July 27.
In what was supposed to be an offseason overhaul for Gorton, the Rangers still look quite similar to how they did in years past. Earlier this week, Gorton made his biggest move in trading 28-year-old Derick Brassard to the Senators in a deal that brought back 23-year-old center Mika Zibanejad. But Gorton has seen the difficulties in fully revamping his roster, so he seems to be leaning on the idea that most of his players are going to come back more motivated.
“After losing in the first round,” Gorton said last week, “I would expect most of players, if not all of them, are coming back with a little bit of a chip on their shoulder.”
That includes who Kreider and Hayes, who are now officially part of Gorton’s plan of improvement.
