Kevin Hayes centered the team's second line at practice on Saturday with Rick Nash and Chris Kreider, reports Andrew Gross of The Record.

Hayes centered the Rangers' second line at practice on Saturday with Rick Nash and Chris Kreider, reports Andrew Gross of The Record.

Analysis:

This is fairly surprising as Hayes is just 10-for-27 on faceoffs thus far this season, but it speaks to the team's depth issues down the middle. One of the organization's talked-about signings in the offseason has quickly moved up the ranks of head coach Alain Vigneault's depth chart. However, Vigneault is jumbling the lines almost daily until he finds the right combination, so don't expect Hayes to remain there if he doesn't produce. The 2010 first-round pick has yet to register his first NHL point and is a minus-3 through three games played.