Kevin Hayes has called time on his professional hockey career, stepping away at age 34 after 12 NHL seasons and a brief stop in the Kontinental Hockey League.
Hayes spent last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, posting four goals and four assists in 28 games. He then signed with Ak Bars Kazan last month, but his KHL run lasted five games and produced no points before he announced his retirement Monday.
“I have decided to end my hockey career,” Hayes said in a statement. “My body no longer lets me play at the standard I know I can reach, and I cannot accept being anything less than at my best.”
A first-round pick who became a dependable NHL center
Chicago selected Hayes with the 24th overall pick in the 2010 NHL Draft, though he never appeared in a regular-season game for the Blackhawks. His NHL career began with the New York Rangers, where he quickly found a role as a big-bodied center with puck protection, patience below the goal line and a useful scoring touch.
In 805 regular-season games, Hayes recorded 185 goals and 260 assists for 445 points. He played for the Rangers, Winnipeg Jets, Philadelphia Flyers, St. Louis Blues and Penguins, carving out a long career as a middle-six forward who could handle difficult minutes while contributing on the scoresheet.
His deepest postseason run came early. As a rookie in 2015, Hayes collected two goals and five assists in 19 playoff games as the Rangers reached the Eastern Conference Final. New York’s season ended in a seven-game loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Hayes finished with eight goals and 18 assists in 56 Stanley Cup Playoff appearances.
His retirement also closes another chapter for the Hayes family. His brother, Jimmy Hayes, played 334 NHL games with Chicago, Florida, Boston and New Jersey before his death in 2021.
