Hayes wants to remain with Rangers but knows trade is possible

NEW YORK -- Kevin Hayes knows his career with the New York Rangers could be over in a few weeks, if not days. The 26-year-old center is trying not to sweat it.

"When stuff happens, it'll happen," said Hayes, who is playing on a one-year contract he signed July 30, 2018, and can become an unrestricted free agent July 1. "It's either I'll be here for a long time or I'll be out of here."
Hayes, who missed nine games with an upper-body injury before playing in a 1-0 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers at Madison Square Garden on Tuesday, is New York's best potential trade chip for teams looking to acquire an impact rental player before the 2019 NHL Trade Deadline on Feb. 25 at 3 p.m. ET.
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Hayes is a top-six center with 33 points (10 goals, 23 assists) in 40 games this season. He has seven points and is averaging 2:21 per game on the power play. He plays against top lines and kills penalties, averaging 2:04 of shorthanded ice time this season.
And he plays for a team, the Rangers, who are approximately one year into a rebuilding project focused on getting younger and faster. The Rangers wouldn't commit long term to Hayes this past offseason, and they haven't made him a contract offer this season either, Hayes said.
Put it all together and Hayes is really an ideal candidate for any contending team that would be willing to pay the price in a trade.
However, and here's where it gets murkier, the Rangers haven't said anything publicly about trading Hayes, who clearly has value to them on the ice, and Hayes himself is hopeful of signing a long-term contract to remain with the Rangers to be part of the core that gets them back into the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
"I love this team, love the guys here," Hayes said. "It's fun being with the new group from the beginning of the year and seeing what we've built. I love the behind-the-scenes people here. I'm super close with them. I love the city. I love the fans. I love everything about New York. I've been here five years. I never thought I would call New York home and I do now, and it's been an absolute blast for five years. If I had my choice, I'd be here."
Hayes said there have been two quick meetings so far between the Rangers and his agent, Bob Murray, who is based in Needham, Massachusetts, and is close with the Hayes family, which is based in nearby Dorchester.
"A couple conversations, but nothing major," Hayes said.

Hayes said he and Murray don't have regular communication because he trusts Murray to do what's right for him. However, he knows they will have to talk soon. He doesn't know if Murray will say what he wants to hear. Hayes seems OK with that too.
"It just goes to even how I was raised," Hayes said. "I never thought I'd be in the NHL. It's been a dream since I've been a kid playing in the street. It's been an unbelievable experience. I want it to last a very long time. Hopefully, it can happen here. If it doesn't, I'll be sad to leave but happy to stay in the NHL."
Hayes knew this period of uncertainty was coming the day he signed his one-year contract, which helped the Rangers and Hayes avoid a scheduled arbitration hearing.
General manager Jeff Gorton said one year was good for the Rangers because it gave them more time to evaluate the young centers they have, most notably Brett Howden, Lias Andersson and Filip Chytil, and to determine if they wanted Hayes' future to be with them beyond the deadline.
Hayes, to his credit, has done nothing that would dissuade the Rangers from believing in him as a top player. He is having his best season. He's on pace for 60 points, and that's with missing nine games. He has never scored more than 49 points in a season (17 goals, 32 assists in 2016-17).
"I just feel like I'm a way more important player," Hayes said. "I feel like if I play bad, I'm severely giving our team a chance to lose, and if I excel on the ice, I'm really giving our team a chance to win. I've never felt that way in my career before this season."
He also said he makes a conscious effort to not let his murky status with the Rangers impact his play or what he's like as a teammate.
"It doesn't make a lot of sense to me to complain about not having a deal right now or supposedly being trade bait," Hayes said. "You make lifelong friends in this organization with players on the team, and it's a slap in the face to them if you start letting it affect your game."
He won't have to worry about it soon. Hayes' future with the Rangers should be decided one way or the other in the next 3 1/2 weeks.
Until it is, "It's the pink elephant in the room," New York coach David Quinn said.
Hayes is trying to be color-blind.
"I'm totally fine with it," he said. "It's really out of my hands."