Updated:
Kevin Hayes is now a UFA. The Blackhawks are skating away from the BC star.
“We offered Kevin what we believed was a generous and fair contract," Hawks general manager Stan Bowman said in a statement. "Unfortunately, he felt it was in his best interests to become a free agent. We are looking forward to the compensatory draft pick we are receiving and are focused on the excitement surrounding the start of training camp next month.”
Hayes can sign with any other team at midnight.
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On this the 45th anniversary of the Woodstock music festival, I have Jimi Hendrix-inspired haze on my mind. Purple haze, that its.
Kevin Hayes, too.
When the clock gongs midnight tonight, Kevin Hayes and the Chicago Blackhawks are very likely to part ways.
Hayes, the Hobey Baker finalist from last season, is one of Chicago’s brightest young stars.The Hawks’ selected Hayes in the first-round pick (24th overall) in the 2010 draft. They did so with the intention of eventually working him into their top six forward group. Problem these days in ChiTown is that there are no available roster spots available to the scoring power forward. With stars like Jonathon Toews, Patrick Kane, Patrick Sharp, Brad Richards, Marian Hossa, Andrew Shaw, Brandon Saad, and Bryan Bickell. Add in stiff competition from youngsters Ben Smith, Marcus Kruger, Brandon Pirri, Jeremy Morin and top prospect Teuvo Teravainen, and its easy to see why Hayes is not a top priority player right now in Chicago.
Hayes will become an unrestricted free agent at midnight Saturday if his agent and Hawks GM Stan Bowman cannot come to terms on a three year entry level deal.
The silence is deafening between Hayes and the team that drafted with 24th overall in the NHL Draft.
Hayes, 22, has dominated at Boston College for the past four seasons. He’s proven all that he can at the NCAA level while playing with Johnny Gaudreau and Bill Arnold. Its time for Hayes to make a legitimate shot at making a pro roster. Problem being, Chicago doesn’t have a vacancy for the 6’3” 205-pound right wing who scored 28 goals and added 39 helpers in 39 games with Boston College last season. The advent of playing the next 2-3 seasons in the AHL while waiting his turn to segue into the Hawk's lineup likely isn't tickling Hayes' fancy. Thus, the opportunity to play elsewhere is looking more and more like a reality.
According to reports out of Chicago, Hayes’ agent hasn’t spoken with Stan Bowman in recent weeks. Not a good sign for the youngster.
Should the midnight deadline come to pass, Hayes will be free to sign with any other NHL team as a UFA. That team would have to sign him to his three year entry level deal. The team that Hayes eventually signs with will have to forfeit a second round pick in the 2015 Connor McDavid draft. A small price to pay for a mature, scoring power forward.
Of Hayes, Bowman recently said that the Hawks “have done everything we can. We have to hope (Hayes) wants to be a Blackhawk.”
Were Hayes to become UFA, expect a dozen NHL GMs to fight hard to land him. Buffalo, Florida, Boston, Calgary, and Edmonton are teams that have a need for Hayes.
Would I invest a second round pick in Hayes?
Damn straight, I would.
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