Not on an NHL roster · Center · Shoots L

Kevin Hayes

Age 34 · 6'3" · 217 lb · Born in Dorchester, USA

No contract on file.

2025-26 regular season

Goals

8.9% shooting

Assists

4 primary

Points

0.29 per game

TOI/GP

12:28

PP 1:06 · PK 0:01

xGF%

54.8

5v5, +5 vs. last yr

Game Score

+0.36

per game

Faceoff %

40.3

56 W · 83 L

Plus/minus

-1

Blocks 10 · Hits 32

Game log

Last 5 games · NHL API

Game	G	A	SOG	HIT	BLK	TOI	PP	PK	FO	OZS%	GV	TK	+/-	GS
Apr 14 @ STL · L 7-5	0	2	2	0	0	14:01	1:09	0:00	9-4	33	1	1	+3	+2.05
Apr 12 @ WSH · L 3-0	0	0	2	0	0	13:55	0:43	0:00	5-5	25	0	0	0	+0.23
Apr 11 vs WSH · L 6-3	1	0	1	0	0	14:51	0:00	0:00	4-6	67	1	0	0	+0.82
Mar 3 @ BOS · L 2-1	0	0	0	4	2	7:26	0:00	0:00	0-5	100	0	0	0	+0.07
Feb 5 @ BUF · W 5-2	0	0	1	1	0	7:07	0:00	0:14	2-4	—	1	0	+1	+0.23

GS = our Game Score (credit for everything he did; goals and assists count most). FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.

Advanced metrics

5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 311 min · percentile vs. NHL forwards

xGF%54.8%

85th percentile

Relative xGF%+5.9

94th percentile

HDCF%59.1%

91st percentile

CF%52.5%

78th percentile

Relative CF%+0.9

63rd percentile

FF%52.5%

77th percentile

GF%51.5%

61st percentile

CF/6056.9

57th percentile

CA/6051.5

86th percentile

ixG/600.85

39th percentile

Goals above expected-0.4

53rd percentile

IPP47.1%

9th percentile

PDO99.1

41st percentile

OZS%49.4%

41st percentile

xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.

Play styleDefensive playmaker

Trait percentiles vs. NHL centers · 2025-26

Hayes is a stay-at-home center who excels at shutting down opponents and winning battles in tight spaces, relying on strong forechecking and positioning rather than pure speed or puck skills. He shoots frequently from close range and contributes offensively through passing, but struggles with puck control and lacks the skating ability to create off the rush.

Defensive anchorShoot-first centerLow-speed grinder

Shooting volume: 79
Playmaking: 66
Zone entries(est.): 53
Forechecking: 72
Physicality: 57
Defensive impact: 87
Puck management: 17
Speed: 7

Where he shoots from

Slot 52% · Mid-range 36% · Perimeter 13%(64 unblocked shots)

Strengths

Exceptional defensive impact at 87th percentile limits opponent chances
Strong forechecking at 72nd percentile creates turnovers and pressure
High shooting volume at 79th percentile, mostly from the slot

Watch-outs

Puck management at 17th percentile leads to loose play and turnovers
Speed at 7th percentile limits his ability to create rush chances
Playmaking at 66th percentile is decent but not his primary skill

Similar style: Cole Perfetti (WPG), Linus Karlsson (VAN)

Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.

Where his Game Score comes from

2025-26 · 28 GP

Season total +10.1, or +0.36 per game.

Scoring: +6.8
Shooting: +3.4
5-on-5 goals: +0.1
Defense: +0.2
Physical play: +1.1
Puck battles: -0.8
Penalties: -0.6
Faceoffs: -0.3

Game Score gives credit for everything a player does in a game. Goals (1.0) and assists (0.7 primary, 0.5 secondary) count most; shots, blocks, hits, takeaways, penalties drawn, faceoff wins, killing penalties, and holding down the other team's chances add to it. Only mistakes subtract: goals against at 5-on-5, giveaways, penalties taken, faceoff losses, and allowing more chances than an average player would. A player who is there to defend or kill penalties is not marked down for not scoring. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.

Career stats

From the NHL's player records

NHL regular season NHL playoffs All leagues

No seasons on record yet.

Seasons traded mid-year show one row per team. GS/GP is our Game Score per game.

Latest news

Headlines from news outlets and team blogs

No news about him in the last 30 days.

Sentiment & chatter

Fans

—

Beat writers

—

Media

—

Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.

Recent Game Scores

Last 10 games · goals above average

-0.1MTL12/20

+0.0

+0.0MTL12/21

-0.1TOR12/23

-0.3CGY1/10

+0.1

+0.1BOS1/11

+0.2

+0.2BUF2/5

+0.1

+0.1BOS3/3

+0.8

+0.8WSH4/11

+0.2

+0.2WSH4/12

+2.0

+2.0STL4/14

Average +0.30 per game over these 10.

Skating · NHL EDGE

2025-26, as of Oct 2

Top speed: 20.6 mph; 5th pct
20+ mph bursts: 13
Hardest shot: 81.7 mph; 29th pct
Distance: 59.6 mi
OZ time: 43.5%; 70th pct
DZ time: 38.4%

Age curve

NHL forwards · production index

202937

At 34, forwards typically produce 63% of their peak (age 24).

From 24 seasons of NHL results, adjusted for league scoring and save percentage in each era. Shaded bars are the seasons left on his contract.

Contract by season

No contract on file.