The one year at 5.125M for Hayes shows that he's looking for top dollars long term and NYR aren't willing to give him. He's not part of their plan for the future and will be dealt before the 2019 trade deadline.
Zuccarrello was always going to be traded before the 2019 trade deadline, everyone knew that.
Rangers are, once again, stock pilling the assets (young prospects and high draft picks) and are on their way for a quick rebuild. In this scenario, with the picks that they would have, it's not impossible for them to become a bubble team as early as 2020-2021, which is 3 years of rebuild. Not bad! Though they need gregoriev to start having meaningful starts fast. This guy could be a real stud in 3 years, right when Lundqvist will retires.