Penguins Acquire Kevin Hayes From Blues

Penguins Acquire Kevin Hayes From Blues

Kevin Hayes keeps being passed around like a hot potato. The Flyers dumped him to St. Louis while retaining money. Now the Blues are dumping a draft pick just to get rid of Hayes. The Penguins are acquiring the Dorchester, Mass native along with a 2025 second round pick. Future considerations of nothing will head the other way.

Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff was the first to report the news:

Hayes has been traded to Pittsburgh Penguins. https://t.co/Mb3a2R165J

— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) June 29, 2024

No salary was retained this time. An important note considering the Flyers are currently paying 50% of his $7.143 million freight. Hayes will carry a $3.571 million cap hit for two more seasons. The former 24th overall pick in 2010 out of Boston College will likely be the new third line center in Pittsburgh. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin obviously hold the top two spots.

Hayes, 32, just never got going in St. Louis. The 6-foot-5 forward posted 29 points in 79 games last year during his lone season with the club. It’s a far cry from the 54 points he had the season prior in Philadelphia. The Blues also made a trade for Alexandre Texier that is poised to take on that third line center role now that Hayes is out.

Kevin Hayes Denounces Links To Him In Cutter Gauthier Trade

Is anybody surprised by this deal? The Penguins add another old player and get a draft pick to do it? You just know that’s something Kyle Dubas just can’t pass on. That entire team feels ancient. Is anybody even going to try to guess what they have planned next?

Subscribe to Vendetta’s Twitch

Check out the Vendetta Shop

Subscribe to Vendetta’s YouTube

Click here for more NHL content