The Pittsburgh Penguins have traded for Kevin Hayes and a 2025 second-round pick from St. Louis.
Pittsburgh will send future considerations in return, with no salary retained. Hayes’ cap hit is $3.571M, thanks to Philadelphia keeping 50% of his original $7.143M cap hit when he moved to St. Louis. The Blues quickly traded him after just one year, where they got him from the Flyers for a 2024 sixth-round pick.
In St. Louis, Hayes scored 13 goals and had 29 points in 79 games, which was much lower than the career-high 54 points he had with the Flyers. He played as a reliable two-way forward on the second line but didn’t quite fit in well enough.
But while he didn’t fill the right need in St. Louis, he could be exactly what Pittsburgh needs — offering predictable and reliable impact down the lineup at a relatively cheap cost.
Penguins’ Cap Situation:
The Penguins are facing some financial challenges this summer with three free agents and only $7.174M in cap space available. Sidney Crosby is also eligible for an extension starting July 1st, adding more pressure to their budget.
Fans might think this move helps balance out their roster without breaking the bank.
Hayes could take over as the third-line center behind Evgeni Malkin, potentially making Lars Eller less necessary if Pittsburgh decides to make other financial moves.
What do you think about this trade?
