Rangers Scratch Kevin Hayes

Kevin Hayes (Photo courtesy of MSG Photos)

The New York Rangers and head coach Alain Vigneault have seen enough from Kevin Hayes, at least for one game. On Tuesday, Vigneault announced that Hayes would be a healthy scratch for the team’s game in Tampa on Wednesday night.

That wasn’t all Vigneault had to say about Hayes, and none of it was very uplifting for the 23-year-old forward who has only six goals and 11 assists through 37 games.

“I think we all have our tipping points, and I think Kevin has had an extra-long leash, especially considering [center Derek Stepan] was out for quite some time,” said Vigneault. “But there’s just nothing going on. At the end of the day, we’re at the point now where we have to make some decisions in the best interests of the team.”

Later on, Vigneault added that he didn’t think Hayes was working hard enough to try and turn things around.

This is a damming indictment on a player who just a year ago had 17 goals and 28 assists and was a plus 15 as a rookie. It’s the type of move and verbal put-down the Rangers have needing since the team started nosediving.

The Rangers have fallen far from their season-starting high; they barely resemble the winning team that’s played the last couple of years under Vigneault. Will his move light a fire underneath Hayes and the rest of the team in his absence? It should, as the lackluster play of many of the players should make them realize there’s a good chance someone else will be next if they don’t step it up.

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