Avery Hayes has been recalled to the Pittsburgh Penguins after a successful stint with their AHL affiliate, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Hayes, who scored twice in his NHL debut against Buffalo before the league break, returned to the AHL and continued his strong performance by recording two hat tricks in recent games. He has totaled 19 goals in 36 AHL appearances this season despite missing time due to injury.
“Just playing with confidence and playing with great players, too,” Hayes said about his scoring run. “They just set me up, and all that I had to do was finish. It was pretty easy, but it was fun.”
The 23-year-old forward joined the Penguins for practice on Monday. Head Coach Dan Muse commented on Hayes’ play: “He played really well. He was up for that game in Buffalo. He has continued to play really well (with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton). It’s also just seeing something different. We’ll see what the options might be. That’s all we’re doing right now.”
Hayes skated on the left wing of the top line alongside Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell as the team awaits Sidney Crosby’s return from Olympic duty. Crosby did not participate in Sunday’s Gold Medal Game due to injury.
“We’ve got to get a status update there. There’s still more information that we need to have,” Muse said regarding Crosby’s situation. “Whether it’s now or at any point in the future, if it’s something where there was a need there to move (Rakell) to the middle, I’d feel very comfortable doing it based on what I saw there earlier in the season.”
Hayes noted he is comfortable playing any forward position: “It was fun,” he said about skating with Rust and Rakell. “I mean, they’re great players, so I just have to do my job and play hard.”
Bryan Rust highlighted Hayes’ approach: “He works extremely hard. He gets in on the forecheck, he wins battles…playing the right way,” Rust said. “Been given nothing and earned absolutely everything. You don’t do that without playing the game hard and doing it the right way.”
Since signing his first NHL contract last March as an undrafted free agent with Pittsburgh, Hayes has experienced significant milestones but remains focused on daily improvement.
“Today, just focus on the practice, tomorrow we have an off day, and on Wednesday, focus on practice again,” Hayes said. “Just take it one day at a time and go from there.”
The Pittsburgh Penguins are recognized for their consistent competition within the NHL through numerous playoff appearances and division titles (official website). The organization is known for its Hall of Fame players, coaches, executives (official website), and deep ties with fans and community traditions (official website). The team plays home games at PPG Paints Arena (official website) under ownership by Fenway Sports Group (official website).
