The Winnipeg Jets have agreed to trade forward Kevin Hayes to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft.
BREAKING: We have acquired forward @KevinPHayes12 from Winnipeg in exchange for a fifth-round pick in the 2019 NHL Draft. https://t.co/LhPG1pvcmP
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) June 4, 2019
Jets Trade Kevin Hayes to the Flyers
The Flyers completed a trade Monday night with the Jets. Philadelphia acquires forward Kevin Hayes in exchange for a fifth-round selection in the upcoming NHL Draft. Hayes is set to become an unrestricted free agent on July 1 and Philadelphia will get his negotiating rights.
Key Players
In Hayes, the Flyers would be getting a big player at 6-foot-5 inches. The Dorchester, Mass. native can pay all three forward positions and can be plugged into most lines. This season, he scored 19 goals and 36 assists for 55 points in 71 games, adding 12 minutes in penalties. His possession numbers are 50.7 percent Corsi and a relative Corsi of 6.3. Those totals were up compared to last season, where he scored 25 goals, 19 assists for 44 points.
Hayes has played for the New York Rangers and the Winnipeg Jets in his five-year NHL career. In that time, he has 92 goals and 137 assists for 229 career points in 381 career games. The Chicago Blackhawks originally drafted him in the first round, 24th overall of the 2010 NHL Draft. However, he did not sign his deal and went to the Rangers in free agency.
He was acquired by the Jets at the 2019 NHL Trade Deadline where he posted 13 points (5g-8a) in 20 games, and added three points (2g-1a) in six playoff games.
What This Means for the Future
Hayes was the subject of some rumours where he would have gone to the Blackhawks. However, the Flyers swooped in to get his rights. The 27-year-old has a chance to reunite with former Rangers coach Alain Vigneault, who is the new bench boss in Philadelphia.
Winnipeg clears out some space in their salary cap as they try to re-sign Patrik Laine, who is a restricted free agent on July 1.
WINNIPEG, MB – MARCH 14: Kevin Hayes #12 of The Winnipeg Jets skates against the Boston Bruins during 1st period action on March 14, 2019 at Bell MTS Place in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada. (Photo by David Lipnowski/Getty Images)
