Vancouver Canucks targeting free agent Kevin Hayes

The Vancouver Canucks have money to spend this summer and would love to add another young piece to their lineup. Kevin Hayes could be what the Canucks are looking for. Alex Hoegler of Canucks Way believes that free agent, Kevin Hayes is the man to fit the bill for the Canucks.

"The team will have just over $26 million in cap space this offseason, per CapFriendly.com. If anything else, Benning can afford to hand out a four-to-six year deal worth around $5 million a season — preferably a player that’s in their mid-to-late 20s — and not their 30s. That’s what makes Winnipeg Jets centre and pending UFA Kevin Hayes the ideal free agent target for Benning."

With the Winnipeg Jets dealing with young star players like Patrik Laine and Kyle Connor that need to be signed, it is unlikely that Hayes is a priority and re-signed by the Jets. Hayes is 27 years old and put up 55 points between his time with the Rangers and Jets last year.
The 6 foot 5, 215-pound center has posted 40+ points in 4 out of 5 of his seasons in the NHL. He is a big body and while still young, he is the type of player that is highly coveted around the league. Adding Hayes to the Canucks would bolster an already young and skilled lineup with players like Brock Boeser, Bo Horvat, Tanner Pearson, Elias Pettersson, Quinn Hughes, Troy Stecher and a potential roster player with their 10th overall draft pick in 2019.

Center is the natural position for Hayes, the Rangers used Hayes as a winger last season so the Canucks would be getting a player that can play up the middle and on the wing. Both Elias Pettersson and Bo Horvat need another winger to play with which could be added this offseason in Hayes or other options. At the very least, Hayes would be a massive upgrade from the 3rd line center, Brandon Sutter who has not been able to shake the injury bug at this point in his career.

With $26 million in cap space, will we see the Canucks pull the trigger on Kevin Hayes this offseason?