Kevin Hayes Bio
Kevin Patrick Hayes (born May 8, 1992) is an American professional ice hockey player who plays as a forward for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). Standing 6 feet 5 inches tall and playing at 217 pounds, Hayes is recognized for his size, two-way responsibility, and short-handed contributions. Over the course of his career, he has suited up for the New York Rangers, Winnipeg Jets, Philadelphia Flyers, St. Louis Blues, and Pittsburgh Penguins.
Early Life and Background
Kevin Patrick Hayes was born on May 8, 1992, in the Dorchester neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts. He is the youngest of five children and grew up in a family with deep ties to hockey. His older brother, Jimmy Hayes, went on to play in the NHL, while his cousins include former NHL player and current New Jersey Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald and former NHL forward Keith Tkachuk.
Hayes began his organized hockey career representing South Shore at the Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament in 2004 and 2005. He later attended Noble and Greenough School in Dedham, Massachusetts, where he starred for the hockey program. In his final high-school season of 2009–10, Hayes scored 67 points in 28 games, a performance that established him as a top NHL prospect.
Path to Hockey
Hayes was selected by the Chicago Blackhawks in the first round, 24th overall, of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. Rather than turn professional immediately, he followed his brother Jimmy to Boston College, where he spent four seasons developing his game. In his senior year, Hayes was selected to the All-Hockey East First Team and the AHCA East First-Team All-American after a 65-point campaign.
His college career included a defining health scare in February 2013, when he was diagnosed with compartment syndrome in his left leg during a game against UMass Lowell. He underwent four emergency surgeries and was hospitalized for 22 days, only narrowly avoiding amputation. After returning for his senior season, Hayes produced 27 goals and 38 assists, was named the 2014 Beanpot Most Valuable Player, and earned First-Team All-American honors.
Kevin Hayes Career
Early Career (2014–2015)
After Hayes and the Blackhawks could not agree to a contract by the August 2014 deadline, he became an unrestricted free agent and signed an entry-level deal with the New York Rangers. He made his NHL debut on October 12, 2014, against the Toronto Maple Leafs and later scored his first career goal against the San Jose Sharks while centering a line with Rick Nash and Chris Kreider. Hayes finished his rookie regular season ranked fifth among NHL rookies in both points and assists.
Hayes then contributed during the Rangers’ 2015 Stanley Cup playoff run. His first postseason goal was an overtime game-winner in Game 4 of the first round against the Pittsburgh Penguins, helping New York take a 3–1 series lead. He added a game-tying goal in an eventual overtime win over the Washington Capitals in the second round and an assist on Dominic Moore’s late third-period winner in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
New York Rangers Breakthrough (2015–2019)
During the 2015–16 season, Rangers head coach Alain Vigneault installed Hayes on the first line alongside Kreider and Derek Stepan, but his scoring dipped and he was a healthy scratch for two games. He rebounded the following year, opening 2016–17 on a line with childhood friend Jimmy Vesey before moving to the third line with Michael Grabner and J. T. Miller. Hayes finished that season with 17 goals and 32 assists for 49 points.
On July 31, 2018, Hayes re-signed with the Rangers as a restricted free agent. In his fifth and final season in New York, he posted 42 points in 51 games before an upper-body injury. On the 2019 NHL trade deadline, the Rangers dealt him to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for a 2019 first-round pick, Brendan Lemieux, and a conditional 2022 fourth-round pick. Hayes learned of the deal from Jets captain Blake Wheeler via text message.
Winnipeg Jets and Philadelphia Flyers Era (2019–2023)
After joining the Jets, Hayes slotted in on a line with Mark Scheifele and Wheeler and scored his first goal with the team on March 1, 2019, in a 5–3 win over the Nashville Predators. He helped Winnipeg qualify for the 2019 Stanley Cup playoffs, recording his first goal of the postseason in a 6–3 victory over the St. Louis Blues in the first round. On June 19, 2019, the Philadelphia Flyers signed him to a seven-year, $50 million contract after his negotiating rights were traded from Winnipeg.
With the Flyers, Hayes was named an alternate captain for 2019–20 and produced 23 goals and 18 assists in 69 games, including a career-best four short-handed goals and five game-winning goals. He won the Gene Hart Memorial Award as the player who best displayed heart during the 2019–20 season. The following year he recorded 12 goals and 19 assists in 55 games and later underwent surgery for a sports hernia.
St. Louis Blues and Pittsburgh Penguins Era (2023–Present)
On June 27, 2023, the St. Louis Blues acquired Hayes from the Flyers in exchange for a 2024 sixth-round pick. After a slow start, a move to a line with Alexey Toropchenko and Jake Neighbours on November 21 sparked seven goals in 13 games, though he finished the year with only six total goals and was a healthy scratch late in the season. On June 29, 2024, Hayes was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins along with a 2025 second-round pick for future considerations.
In 2024–25, Hayes played primarily on a line with Philip Tomasino and Drew O’Connor and contributed 13 goals and 22 assists. During the 2025–26 season, he was a healthy scratch multiple times and sustained a lower-body injury in March, returning to the lineup just before the end of the regular season.
Driving Style and Strengths
Hayes is best known for his short-handed abilities, both on the penalty kill and as a short-handed scorer. Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher praised his 200-foot game when he signed him, and Hayes credits longtime coach Alain Vigneault with turning him from a one-dimensional offensive player into a complete NHL center. His combination of size, skating, and two-way responsibility has made him a reliable middle-six forward throughout his career.
Notable Events and Milestones
One of the defining moments of Hayes’ career came in February 2013, when he survived compartment syndrome after four emergency surgeries. He later marked his Rangers debut with a first NHL goal against the Sharks and delivered an overtime playoff winner against the Pittsburgh Penguins. He also earned the Gene Hart Memorial Award in 2019–20 and was a Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy finalist with the Flyers.
Kevin Hayes Career Wins
Kevin Hayes has built a steady NHL career as a dependable two-way forward, contributing in all three zones. While he is not primarily recognized as a goal-scoring winger, his mix of size, playmaking, and short-handed production has been valued by every team he has played for. Verified awards include the 2014 Beanpot Most Valuable Player, 2019–20 Gene Hart Memorial Award, and a 2021–22 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy finalist nod.
Series Highlights
Across his NHL career, Hayes has appeared in multiple playoff series for the New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers, and Winnipeg Jets. With the Rangers, he tied for third among rookies in playoff points in 2015 and later added five assists in 2016–17. With the Flyers, he recorded four goals and nine assists during the 2020 playoff run, and with the Jets he contributed a goal in the 2019 first-round series against the St. Louis Blues.
Other Wins and Performances
At Boston College, Hayes won the 2012 NCAA Championship as a freshman, was named the 2014 Beanpot Most Valuable Player, and earned AHCA East First-Team All-American honors. Internationally, he represented the United States at the 2014 IIHF World Championship in Minsk and the 2017 IIHF World Championship, where he scored twice in a 5–3 win over Germany.
Kevin Hayes Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Hayes grew up in a hockey family. His older brother Jimmy Hayes played in the NHL, and his cousins include former NHL forward Keith Tkachuk and current Devils general manager Tom Fitzgerald. Fitzgerald’s sons Ryan and Casey played alongside Kevin at Boston College, while Tkachuk’s sons Matthew and Brady are also on NHL rosters. His closest friend in the NHL was former Boston College teammate Johnny Gaudreau, who was killed by a drunk driver on August 29, 2024; Hayes served as a pallbearer at his funeral.
Personal Life
Hayes is an advocate for Hockey Fights Cancer, as both of his parents are cancer survivors. His mother, Shelagh, was diagnosed with colorectal cancer when Hayes was in middle school, and his father, Kevin Sr., was diagnosed with throat cancer during his sophomore year at Boston College. He married Katya Vasilyev on July 16, 2023, and the couple welcomed a son in May 2025.
2025 Season Performance
During the 2025–26 NHL season, Hayes has been deployed in a depth role for the Pittsburgh Penguins, working mainly on the third and fourth lines. He was a healthy scratch at multiple points during the campaign, a sign that the Penguins are leaning on younger or hotter players in certain matchups. Even so, he has remained a steady voice in the locker room and a trusted face on the penalty kill.
A lower-body injury in March 2025 limited his availability, and he returned to the lineup just before the end of the regular season. His veteran presence, two-way game, and short-handed reliability have been valuable for a Penguins team that has mixed youth and experience throughout the year. The outlook for Hayes is one of a veteran complementary forward, contributing defensive play and secondary scoring while continuing to be a strong culture fit for the franchise.
