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Avery Hayes' undrafted grind hits Penguins top-six, earns trust after years of long shots
Photo credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images
Avery Hayes is back with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and this NHL call-up comes with real pressure on the top six.
The 23-year-old winger didn't just "earn another look," he kicked the door in during the break.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton watched him score six goals and add one assist in five games, including two hat tricks.
That's the kind of heater that changes an organization's plan in a week.
It also lands at the exact moment Sidney Crosby's status is still unclear coming out of the Olympics.
Hayes was skating in a prime spot at practice, with Rickard Rakell shifted to center and Bryan Rust on the other wing.
If you're a depth winger, that's not a "nice story," that's a runway.
Avery Hayes makes the Pittsburgh Penguins rethink roles
I can already feel the fanbase swinging between "please be real" and "don't you dare send him back."
Hayes is undrafted, which makes the rise even louder when it's happening in your face, on NHL ice.
Pittsburgh signed him to a two-year entry-level contract that runs through 2026-27, with an $830,000 cap hit.
That contract matters because it's clean, cheap, and flexible if he sticks.
Before the break, he popped two goals in his NHL debut in Buffalo during a 5-2 win.
The Penguins sit at 29-15-12, and the points are too tight to waste energy on "development minutes."
So the question is simple for Thursday against New Jersey, can Hayes keep winning pucks and creating chaos on the man advantage, or does the league catch him fast.
Either way, this is his window, and it's finally open.
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Brad Marchand reacts to Canada’s Olympic gold loss, says they “let Sidney Crosby down”
Brad Marchand reacts to Canada’s Olympic gold loss, says they “let Sidney Crosby down”