Hayes explains why he feels he's a center.
Throughout last season, former Flyers centerman Kevin Hayes had an up-and-down year. During that time, he was asked to play multiple different roles on different lines as the Flyers were plagued with injuries early on, and head coach John Tortorella was trying to teach him how to play defensive hockey. Those teachings did not sit well with him, and he finished the year with a -22 rating.
A few days ago, Hayes was traded to the St. Louis Blues for a sixth-round draft pick. The Flyers retained 50% of his $7.1 million per year salary, which made him around $3.5 million. Hayes finally spoke out after the trade was made and explained to the media where he felt he belonged in the lineup, no matter which team he played for.
Hayes played center for other teams, such as the New York Rangers. When he reports to St. Louis, they expect him to play center.
General Manager Doug Armstrong would not have made this deal if he wasn't currently looking for a center, and with Hayes' experience and lower cost, it made sense for him to make the deal.
During the 2022-2023 season, the 31-year-old played 81 games, scoring eighteen goals with 36 assists for 54 points. He had 23 penalty minutes and 16 power-play points. After being much maligned in Philadelphia, Hayes feels that he is ready for a fresh start.
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