Rangers Sign Kreider, Hayes

Kreider's new contract will pay him an average of $4.6 million and keep him the team through 2020

The New York Rangers signed forward Chris Kreider to a four-year contract worth $18.5 million in a last-minute deal that helped the sides avoid arbitration.

General manager Jeff Gorton announced the agreement on Friday. Hours later, he also announced the signing of the Rangers' other major restricted free agent, center Kevin Hayes.

Hayes signed a two-year contract for $5.2 million. He was scheduled to have an arbitration hearing next week.

Kreider's new contract will pay him an average of $4.6 million and keep him the team through 2020. It also includes a modified no-trade clause that prevents the 25-year-old Kreider from being traded to 11 teams.

Kreider had 21 goals and 22 assists in 79 games for New York and a plus-10 rating. He established career-highs in even-strength goals (16) and hits (177), and he tied his career-high in goals, set the previous season.

Kreider was one of six NHL players who registered at least 20 goals, 40 points, a plus-10 rating, and 50 penalty minutes this past season. Alex Ovechkin, Jonathan Toews, Milan Lucic, Brad Marchand, and James Neal were the others.

Hayes had 14 goals and 22 assists in 79 games this past season He established career-highs in game-winning goals (three), power play goals (three), power play points (six), and shots on goal (133).

Hayes tied for fifth on the team in even strength assists (19), sixth in primary assists (14), and tied for sixth in assists, power play goals, and even strength points (30) this past season.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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