Penguins Forward Using Trades as Motivation

Pittsburgh Penguins forward Kevin Hayes is looking to prove his doubters wrong this season.

Dec 16, 2023; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Blues right wing Kevin Hayes (12) reacts after scoring against the Dallas Stars during the second period at Enterprise Center. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports / Jeff Curry-USA TODAY Sports

Kevin Hayes' journey to the PIttsburgh Penguins has been long, arduous, and frankly, humbling.

Back in 2019, Hayes signed a seven-year, $50 million deal ($7.14 million AAV) with the Philadelphia Flyers and spent the next four seasons in the City of Brotherly Love. Last year, though, the Flyers decided to send Hayes to the St. Louis Blues for just a sixth-round pick in return. If that wasn't enough, the Blues then sent him and a second-round pick to the Penguins just last month in exchange for future considerations (a.k.a nothing).

"In Philly, I signed a seven-year deal there. I had one bad year with injuries (2021-22)," Hayes said, per NHL.com. "I don't think the coach [John Tortorella] and I saw eye-to-eye my final year in Philly, which is totally fine.

"And then in St. Louis, I just feel like I never really found the correct role. I don't want to say they're going into a rebuild because I don't think they are, and I know when that was said last year the guys in the locker room didn't really appreciate it. I just didn't really fit into their plan, I guess."

It would be easy for Hayes to feel discouraged after being traded twice in two years, but instead of letting it bring him down, he's using it as fuel ahead of his first season in Pittsburgh.

"Definitely an ego shot when you go on two teams in two years," he said. "I'm a pretty confident person. I've been in the League for a long time. I've had successful seasons. I know what I need to do to make sure my game works in this league. I think I'll have a good opportunity in Pittsburgh to do that.

"I think instead of it being an ego shot, I'll use it more as motivation to kind of show those two teams I can still play and produce in this league."

A 2010 first-round pick by the Chicago Blackhawks, Hayes has 415 points (168 goals, 247 assists) in 713 career games. The 32-year-old is perhaps best known for his time with the New York Rangers, who he played for from 2014-2019.

He's now back in the Metropolitan division once again, and ready to prove he can still be a productive player even after many have counted him out.

"It's kind of funny how the two teams that I played for in the Metro are kind of huge rivals with Pittsburgh," Hayes said. "So, there was always kind of a low-key hatred there when you were on these teams. Now it's the complete opposite, where I kind of have that hatred toward the other teams."

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