NEW YORK (Aug. 23, 2021) – The National Hockey League today released the following statement:

“The NHL family mourns the passing of Jimmy Hayes, who appeared in over 300 games with the Blackhawks, Panthers, Devils and his hometown Bruins. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family.”

FROM WIKIPEDIA COMMONS

James Ryan Hayes (November 21, 1989 – August 23, 2021) was an American professional ice hockey right winger. He was selected by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second round, 60th overall, of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft and played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Chicago Blackhawks, Florida Panthers, Boston Bruins, and the New Jersey Devils. His younger brother Kevin Hayes is also a professional ice hockey player.

Professional

On June 26, 2010, the Toronto Maple Leafs traded Hayes to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for the 43rd overall selection in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft (Bradley Ross).

Hayes made his NHL debut against the Detroit Red Wings on December 30, 2011. He scored his first NHL goal on January 2, 2012, in his second career game, against Devan Dubnyk of the Edmonton Oilers. Hayes scored his second goal on January 5, 2012, in this third career game against Ilya Bryzgalov of the Philadelphia Flyers.

During the 2013–14 season, on November 14, 2013, Hayes was traded, along with Dylan Olsen, to the Florida Panthers in exchange for Kris Versteeg and Philippe Lefebvre. On July 29, 2014, Hayes and the Panthers agreed to a one-year, one-way contract for $925,000.^[11] In the 2014–15 season, Hayes played his first full season in the NHL with the Panthers, notching a career high 19 goals and 35 points in 72 games.

As a restricted free agent, on July 1, 2015, the Panthers traded Hayes to the Boston Bruins in exchange for Reilly Smith and the contract of injured Marc Savard. On July 6, 2015, Hayes agreed to terms on a three-year contract with the Bruins worth $2.3 million per year. Hayes’ first goal as a Bruin came on October 14, 2015, in a 6–2 road victory against the hosting Colorado Avalanche. Just over two months later, in the second game of a home-on-home series against the Ottawa Senators, Hayes scored his first-ever NHL hat trick against Senators’ goaltender Craig Anderson, as the initial, fifth and seventh Bruins goals (the seventh scored with only 0.2 seconds of game time remaining) for a 7–3 home ice Bruins win.

On June 30, 2017, after a career-worst season (2 goals, 5 points in 58 games) in 2016–17, Hayes was bought out from the remaining year of his contract by the Bruins.

On October 1, 2017, Hayes signed a one-year, one-way contract with the New Jersey Devils. In and out of the lineup, Hayes had three goals and six assists in 33 games.

On July 1, 2018, Hayes signed a one-year, two-way contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins. While participating at the Penguins training camp prior to the 2018–19 season, Hayes was reassigned to their AHL affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

STATEMENT COURTESY NHLmedia.com