The rumored trade on Saturday between the St. Louis Blues and Philadelphia Flyers that initially had larger legs to it finally came to fruition on Tuesday but just a smaller fragment of it.
Center Kevin Hayes was acquired by the Blues from the Flyers for a 2024 sixth-round pick. The Flyers will retain 50 percent of Hayes' remaining three years of his contract.The Blues acquired center Kevin Hayes from the Flyers for a 2024 sixth round pick, and the Flyers will retain 50 percent of Hayes' remaining three years of a seven-year contract that carries a cap hit of $7,142,858.
The Blues' interest in Hayes goes back a week or so ago, and the trade had been in the works for a couple days when news began to leak on Saturday, with the 31-year-old Hayes reported to be going to St. Louis that grew into Hayes, and possibly defenseman Travis Sanheim along with other pieces coming from Philadelphia. The Blues were reportedly going to send one of their three first-round picks in this year's draft, either No. 25 or No. 29, to gain the salary retention along with defenseman Torey Krug, who reportedly would not approve the trade by waiving his no-trade clause.
So the two sides reconvened and made the trade for Hayes possible.
The Flyers, in what appears to be a full rebuild under new general manager Daniel Briere, are in the process of unloading as much of a number of higher-priced contracts in order to acquire draft capital/prospects.
In acquiring Hayes, who had 54 points (18 goals, 36 assists) in 81 games last season, the Blues secured a much-needed center to go with Robert Thomas and Brayden Schenn (unless he gets moved to the wing).
The Blues toiled late in the season with perhaps converting Pavel Buchnevich to center, but this trade could possibly signal the end of that, especially if the Blues explore another center through trade or they go into free agency searching for one (a reunion with Ryan O'Reilly, perhaps?).
The 6-foot-5, 216-pound Hayes has spent the past four seasons with the Flyers and earned a selection to the 2023 NHL All-Star Game. In nine NHL seasons, Hayes has 386 points (155 goals, 231 assists) in 634 regular-season games, and 26 points (eight goals, 18 assists) in 56 postseason games; he faced the Blues while a member of the Winnipeg Jets in the first round in 2019, the year the Blues won the Stanley Cup.
This story will be updated with comments from Blues general manager Doug Armstrong and Hayes Wednesday in Nashville.