Kevin Hayes announced his retirement from hockey on Monday after 12 NHL seasons.
The 34-year-old forward had eight points (four goals, four assists) in 28 games with the Pittsburgh Penguins last season. He signed a one-contract with Ak Bars Kazan in the Kontinental Hockey League last month and was held without a point in five games.
“I have decided to end my hockey career,” Hayes said in a statement issued by the KHL. “I can no longer play at the level I am capable of because my body does not allow me to perform at my best. And I cannot accept not being in top form.”
A first-round pick (No. 24) by the Chicago Blackhawks at the 2010 NHL Draft, Hayes had 445 points (185 goals, 260 assists) in 805 regular-season games with the New York Rangers, Winnipeg Jets, Philadelphia Flyers, St. Louis Blues and the Penguins, and 26 points (eight goals, 18 assists) in 56 Stanley Cup Playoff games.
Hayes had seven points (two goals, five assists) in 19 games as a rookie during the 2015 playoffs, helping the Rangers reach the Eastern Conference Final. They lost to the Tampa Bay Lightning in seven games.
His brother, Jimmy Hayes, played 334 NHL games with the Blackhawks, Florida Panthers, Boston Bruins and New Jersey Devils. He died in 2021.
