Hayes Will get Stunned by Household for 800th Sport – NHL.com

When Kevin Hayes took the ice for warmups at TD Backyard, the Boston native went about his enterprise like ordinary, not even realizing that his complete prolonged household had come to shock him – banging on the glass and holding up indicators to commemorate his 800^th NHL sport.
“I had talked to Erik Karlsson and his spouse, I mentioned, if he would not see us… as a result of he is identified to maintain his head down and actually lock in… I am like, you have to nudge him!” Kevin’s spouse Katya mentioned. “As a result of we would go all of warmups with out him trying.”
After a few minutes, Karlsson gave Hayes the heads up, and he was thrilled by the shock.
“I had no clue they have been going to be there,” Hayes mentioned afterward. “I noticed my spouse, and I used to be like, what’s she doing right here? After which I spotted everybody was there. Yeah, they did a reasonably good job.
“It has been a protracted highway. I wasn’t crying, however it was a bit emotional once I noticed them. It was actually cool to have my household there, particularly in Boston.”
When Katya was driving to PPG Paints Area on Saturday for Pittsburgh’s matchup with Calgary, she was fascinated by how that was her husband’s 799^th sport.
“I used to be like, oh, I’m wondering if he’ll play tomorrow in Boston,” she mentioned. “After which I used to be like, wait a second, I believe it should occur! So, I used to be actually taking a look at flights as I used to be on the sport yesterday, simply frantic. After which (Penguins director of crew operations Jason Seidling) was like, we will make this occur.”
Katya mentioned she was so grateful to Seidling and Penguins President of Hockey Operations and GM Kyle Dubas for taking good care of them, ensuring they may get to Boston on such a brief turnaround and situating everybody with tickets. She had a particular shirt commemorating the event for son James, born in the course of the offseason and named after Kevin’s late brother, who died in 2021 on the age of 31.
Jimmy Hayes was initially drafted by Toronto in 2008, and went on to play 334 NHL video games with Chicago, Florida, New Jersey, and his hometown Bruins, suiting up for 2 seasons between 2015-17. His spouse Kristen and their two sons, Beau and Mac, got here to at present’s sport with the group.
“Having Jimmy play right here earlier than, and having his youngsters right here, too, they give the impression of being as much as Kevin,” Katya mentioned. “I really feel prefer it’s very, very particular for us. A giant milestone, too. It was so particular to be in Boston on a Sunday afternoon so the youngsters might come.”
Hayes’ dad, additionally named Kevin, mentioned there have been seven youngsters beneath six cheering Kevin on. His three older sisters have been there with their youngsters, having gotten skilled indicators rotated rapidly by a pal, with the youngsters making some as properly after Katya instructed them the plan.
She known as Kevin Sr. yesterday morning, who was completely satisfied to play his half to maintain every part beneath wraps. He met his son for breakfast at present, and mentioned the household wasn’t going to make it to the sport, that they simply had an excessive amount of happening.
“I simply acted regular,” Kevin Sr. mentioned with a smile. “That is nice. Do not get higher than this. It do not get previous, and do not get higher.”
Kevin joined the Penguins by way of commerce in the summertime of 2024 after taking part in for St. Louis, Philadelphia, Winnipeg and the New York Rangers. An NHL All-Star in 2023, he’s hit the 20-goal plateau twice and the 50-point plateau twice.
“The profession that he is had, clearly he is a man who got here into the league and introduced quite a bit from an offensive standpoint,” Penguins Head Coach Dan Muse mentioned. “The power to carry onto pucks, down low, on the facility play, and he is continued to do this.
“He is been out (as a wholesome scratch) a bit bit right here not too long ago, however any sport he is been in, there’s at all times going to be possibilities. When he will get into the slot, will get in there, it’s not simply the probabilities that he can get himself, but additionally those that he can create for others round him.”
And as Muse went on to say, what individuals don’t notice about Hayes is how a lot of a glue man he’s.
“He’s, I believe, beloved by everyone that he is ever performed with. And so, he is a particular particular person,” Muse mentioned.
Fellow New England native Noel Acciari has identified Hayes since childhood, and known as his longtime pal ‘salt of the earth.’
“He’d provide the shirt off his again,” Acciari mentioned. “He is an excellent man, good crew man. Would do something for anybody.”
The massive ahead additionally has a giant persona to match, and the humor and swagger he brings to the locker room has fairly an influence on the group. They love and respect Hayes, and couldn’t be happier that he acquired to hit 800 video games.
“It is an unreal milestone,” Anthony Mantha mentioned. “He is a terrific teammate. Clearly, within the locker room, he is the one which’s type of joking on a regular basis, and the boys love him.”

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