Hartnett: The Kevin Hayes Show Is Set To Air Under Bright Lights Of The Playoffs

By Sean Hartnett
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Since the first of training camp, Rangers center Kevin Hayes never acted like an ordinary 22-year-old.

And that's despite making the jump directly from Boston College to the furious pace of the National Hockey League. The 6-foot-5, 225-pound rookie immediately impressed teammates, head coach Alain Vigneault and Rangers assistants by handling himself with maturity and poise.

"He has played a big role," teammate Rick Nash said. "His game has impressed me a lot. One thing that impressed me is how mature he is off the ice and how mature his game is."

Along the way, Hayes provided a collection how-did-he-do-that highlights with his magic hands.

Watching Hayes is kind of like watching a battle rapper bust out freestyle lyrics. He has an arsenal of weapons and you just don't know which one he's going to pull out to devastate at any given moment. He improvises with quick, shifty moves, slaloming around defenders and goalies are clueless about the dekes to come.

"He can stickhandle inside a phone booth," Rangers alternate captain Marc Staal said back in mid-February.

Nash said it only took him six games to realize that Hayes was something special. Then there was the game at Madison Square Garden on Oct. 19.

"When we played against San Jose, he was going head-to-head with Joe Thornton – one of the best centers of all-time and one of the best two-way centers in the game," Nash said. "For him, to hold his own against a guy like that is what impressed me about Kevin right from the start."

Hayes put on an impressive performance against a six-time All-Star in Thornton. Earlier this season, teammate Derick Brassard compared Hayes' game to "Jumbo Joe."

"It's kind of a big comparison, but he kind of plays like Joe Thornton," Brassard said in late October. "Same size, he plays the same way — long reach, really tall guy, strong on the puck, sees the ice well."

Brassard isn't alone in his comparison as Nash agrees. Having played alongside Thornton for Team Canada and additionally for Swiss club HC Davos during two lockouts, Nash said he sees plenty in common between Hayes and Thornton.

"For sure," Nash said. "You can definitely see some similarities. Both guys are pass-first guys, both guys probably don't shoot as much as they should. They're always looking to pass and have patience. One thing people overlook is the defensive side of the puck. They're both very good in the d-zone."

Hayes finished the regular season with 45 points (17 goals, 28 assists) in 79 games. Next up is his playoff baptism against the Pittsburgh Penguins, who boast two of the league's elite centers in Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

"I'm looking forward to Thursday night," Hayes said. "It's going to be a really cool experience. They're a great team, obviously. They have Malkin, Crosby, Fleury and Martin. They have good players there. They play a good style of hockey. It should be a pretty exciting series."

Don't expect Hayes to be over-awed by the occasion. Nothing seems to faze Hayes. Staal has seen Hayes' confidence only go in one direction -- up.

"I think he has tremendous skill," Staal said. "He thinks the game really well. He's very smart and he's confident. That confidence only grew. Sometimes it goes the other way with a young player. Sometimes it goes slow early on and they start backtracking. That isn't the case with Kevin. As the season progressed, he's gotten better and better. It's a testament to him. He's worked very hard."

Staal said Hayes is the kind of player that will enjoy a long, decorated NHL career.

"He's extremely smart and extremely skilled," Staal said. "When I first saw him in training camp, I knew he was going to be a player. He didn't back down from a challenge. As soon as he got an opportunity against a top line, he seemed to thrive on it. He's going to be around for a long time. He's pretty talented. To be honest, it's fun to watch. It's amazing to see the confidence he has with the puck and the patience he shows with it. Kevin has been a great addition to our team. We were lucky to get him in the summer."

Hayes has the size, the skill and the brain to thrive in the league for years to come. Staal also said Hayes compares favorably with Thornton.

"Absolutely," Staal said. "Thornton is one of the best in the league at protecting the puck along the wall. It's almost impossible to get it off him. Hayes has that same attribute. You practice trying to get it off him. He protects it very well. He knows where guys are. Even with his back turned, he makes really good plays and nice passes. "

James Sheppard has only been with the Rangers since March 1, but said he loves watching Hayes work his magic.

"At the moment, he's the most fun guy to watch," Sheppard said. "When he has the puck, he's hard to defend against. He just loses guys out there. It's fun for us to watch him on the bench. You know something's coming. He's very creative."

Having spent three seasons alongside Thornton in San Jose, he sees differences between Hayes and Thornton.

"Jumbo has such great vision," Sheppard said. "When he makes the pass, it's always on the tape. Hayes has an ability to lose guys. Jumbo is so good at what he does, and Hayes is so good at what he does. They're a little different, but both are fun to watch."

Sheppard said he sensed right away that Hayes has earned the trust of teammates and the coaching staff. Veterans look to Hayes as if he's a 10-year pro, not a rookie.

"I've only been here for a bit," Sheppard said. "Since I've been here, I've seen him as a guy that's relied on. He looks very comfortable and at home for sure. He's just a pleasure to have on your team."

Having provided highlights all season, Rangers fans are eager to watch Hayes pull off a few more tricks on the playoff stage.

Follow Sean on Twitter at @HartnettHockey