"I think the last few games have been a little better. "I thought James played hard [Wednesday]," Flyers head coach Alain Vigneault said Thursday in a video interview. The Flyers also have cap space, one of many aspects Vigneault liked about the club when he was hired in mid-April. The Jets got an up-and-coming defenceman and a quality prospect, and the Flyers got Kevin Hayes, a solid top-six forward option. The surprising dip in play and his absence from the Game 2 lineup made you wonder if he was banged up. However, just over a year after the trade took place, the Jets can look back with confidence. "I think at this time of the year, you have to elevate your game. After spending five seasons in a New York Rangers’ uniform, Kevin Hayes was traded to the Winnipeg Jets on February 25, 2019. 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The 28-year-old has only a $1 million cap hit and can become an unrestricted free agent in the offseason.• Scott Laughton was back in the lineup as Michael Raffl came out.Raffl, a key role forward with size and puck-protection ability, played only 10:18 minutes in Game 2 and it's unknown if he's dealing with any ailments. "I think we score, but maybe finding another experienced guy that can help with that mindset — playing the right way, that could contribute both ways," Fletcher said in April after the Flyers' season ended. "Sean Couturier, who had a multi-point Game 2, was held to one shot in Game 3. By no means have they been awful, but those two are paid to produce goals. In 2017-18, he scored 25 goals. Getting solid production from Hayes, parting ways with a defenceman who clashed with management at times, and getting a sizeable return that has become part of their future makes Kevin Cheveldayoff look like a winner after everything is said and done.At the end of the day, it’ll be a few years at least before a clear winner can be confidently determined. "The Flyers will hope that is all appealing to Hayes.The 2010 first-round pick is 6-foot-5, 216 pounds and can play down the middle or the wing. Hart had 23 overall saves by the end of the middle stanza. In each of his five seasons with the Rangers, Hayes scored 14 or more goals. "By gaining the rights to Kevin at this time, it provides us with an opportunity to negotiate with him prior to July 1 when he is due to become an unrestricted free agent," Fletcher said in a release by the team.Hayes played under Flyers head coach Alain Vigneault with the Rangers from 2014-18. Flyers' poor finish to Game 3 puts them in holeVigneault has heartfelt, impassioned message in wake of his criticized commentsGiroux: Flyers, NHL 'wanted to stand with' NBA, NHL's Black playersFlyers should want more, but it's OK to notice what has changedCouturier knows 'how frustrating it can be to play against' these 2 Flyers'Coaches were almost in tears' — Lindblom, Flyers fuel each other in TorontoHow many times can they respond? The Flyers went 7-4-2 in the first game of back-to-back sets and 6-5-2 in the second game.The Flyers went 0-2-1 against the Islanders in the regular season; the Flyers were on the second game of a back-to-back set in all three matchups.During the regular season, Carter Hart and Islanders goalie Semyon Varlamov played only once apiece on no days rest, with both coming in relief duty. In 2017-18, when he netted his career high in goals, he was second on the Rangers in shorthanded ice time. He made 26 saves on 27 shots.• Pitlick, who was acquired in an offseason trade, has 10 goals with the Flyers — eight in the regular season, two in the playoffs.He's been a rock-solid role forward who can play with a lot of players and is constantly noticeable in his north-south style.