I (NYR fan) really really hope it's not Bowers coming back. Would rather do Timmins, or Kaut + 2nd.

TImmins and Kaut are not available so you arent getting Avs top prospects. Ranger fans need to realize no one is purging their prospect pool for Hayes

I think your wrong about that no offense.

A responsible, 2 way C playing at nearly a PPG, on an expiring contract with the potential to sign an extension if all goes well...

Someone will pay the price...

No one will or does for that matter

Someone might pay that much, but I doubt it. I 100% agree that it does indeed get pretty crazy what teams are willing to pay. A deal like Tatar for a 1st, 2nd, and 3rd last year for instance. That's ALOT for Tatar, but that's more of an outlier rather than a norm. Also, it just feels this year has a larger supply of rentals out there. The supply possibly from a Duchene or Stone which are better than Hayes to teams looking to get a rental for a cheaper price Ferland Simmonds. Hayes is in this hybrid category. Not quite the cream of the crop, but will be expensive. From a 3rd party, I'd say IF COL thinks Hayes can elevate them to winning the cup...then the 1st rounder and that's about it. If not, then they shouldn't make the move at all, but if I were an Aves fan...then a 2nd and a middling prospect sounds about right. NYR should look elsewhere anyway.

hes a pure rental, no one is giving up big assets on "potential" to sign him to an extension. Unless one is in place, you arent getting top prospects.

Can we please end this conversation with a fair estimate? Hayes averages .84 ppg this season, which is more than what Stastny was averaging before he was sent to WPG from STL. The return for Stastny was a first, a conditional fourth and a prospect. Therefore, those who argue he cannot yield a sizable return have a pretty weak argument.

However, no team would trade their top prospects for what could be a rental; it's too large of a risk. Plus, young prospects are cost controlled on ELCs, so the very best prospects have relatively more value than Hayes, who could walk from in this instance the Avs at the end of season.

Use precedent to estimate what the trade value would be. It should be a first rounder, a conditional pick, and a prospect. The question is which prospect would it be? I would guess Meloche, the 2015 2nd rounder. So in review; the trade should be Hayes for the Colorado 2019 1st, Meloche, and probably the Colorado 3rd with some condition attached to it.

That's a fair trade, and both teams benefit. NYR needs to stockpile picks and solid prospects, and the Avs are not giving up their top prospects (they already have Makar and Timmins, so Meloche is expendable anyway). Both fan bases should be pretty happy with that.

you also need to know that hayes isnt a must go player. He has stated he wants to stay with the team and with his points per game and underlying stats he will be fetching much more than what stastny, hanzal, vermette got over the last few years. If NYR dont like the offer for him they will simply keep him and extend him or move on to another team. This isnt the usual case as was the others mentioned before or kane, or nash NYR have full control on Hayes and getting a reliable 2nd center that is primarily defensive based with .84 point per game is not going to come cheap to anyone.

Add a conditional 2nd if Hayes re-signs.

This is realistic, but not the flashy return Rangers fans want to see.