Last night Hayes picked up an assist and dropped former Penguin Zach Aston-Reese in a fight with a mean short left. The question now becomes just how much they’ll be looking to do to get Hayes a chance to get back into the NHL lineup. That would apply to moving in or out of the lineup, or even status on the team itself. One area working in the Pens’ favor is the 23-player roster maximum disappears after the NHL trade deadline. One of those angles will certainly be how much they decide to work Hayes back in for NHL opportunities down the stretch.

Source: New York Times February 17, 2026 01:44 UTC