Full Breakdown
Kevin Hayes Signs One-Year Deal with KHL’s Ak Bars Kazan
8/26/2026, 6:03:43 AM
Core Move to Russia
Veteran forward Kevin Hayes, 34, has agreed to a one-year contract with Ak Bars Kazan of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). The signing was announced on the club’s English-language social-media channels on Tuesday, ending Hayes’s 12-season tenure in the National Hockey League (NHL).
Background & Context
Hayes entered the NHL after a standout collegiate career at Boston College, where he posted 65 points in 39 games in his final season. Drafted 24th overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in 2010, he never played for the Blackhawks and made his NHL debut with the New York Rangers in 2014. Over the next decade he played for the Rangers, Winnipeg Jets, Philadelphia Flyers, St. Louis Blues and Pittsburgh Penguins.
In the 2025-26 season with Pittsburgh, Hayes appeared in 28 games, recording four goals and eight points. The following season he was a healthy scratch for much of the campaign, playing only 28 games and posting eight points. He became an unrestricted free agent on July 1 when the seven-year, $50 million contract he signed with the Flyers in 2019 expired; the deal carried a $7.14 million cap hit, half of which was retained by Philadelphia after his trade to the Blues. No NHL team offered a contract that met his expectations for a top-nine role, prompting the move abroad.
Data & Statistics
- Career totals (NHL): 805 regular-season games, 185 goals. Sources differ on total points, reporting either 445 or 446 points.
- Playoff totals: 56 games, eight goals, 18 assists.
- 2025-26 season (Penguins): 4 goals, 8 points in 28 games.
- Contract: One-year deal with Ak Bars Kazan; financial terms not disclosed.
- Kazan’s recent performance: Reached the Gagarin Cup Final the previous spring, losing in six games to Lokomotiv Yaroslavl.
Official Statements & Responses
Hayes indicated that personal considerations, including his wife’s preferences, influenced his decision, and he expressed a goal of helping Kazan “take the last step” toward a championship.
Why It Matters
Hayes’s move reflects a broader pattern of veteran NHL players seeking opportunities in the KHL when NHL offers are limited. Ak Bars Kazan, a well-funded organization that has not won the Gagarin Cup since 2018, adds Hayes to a roster already featuring former NHLers Grigori Denisenko, Sasha Chmelevski and Kirill Semyonov. His presence could bolster Kazan’s bid for a title and illustrates how the KHL can serve as a viable alternative for North-American players aiming to extend their careers.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Career point total: Some sources list 445 points, while others list 446 points in 805 games. The discrepancy is noted without resolution.
- Financial details of the Kazan contract: No source provides the salary or bonus structure, leaving the economic impact of the move unclear.
What’s Next
Hayes’s contract runs for the upcoming KHL season, after which he may reassess his options. Analysts suggest that a strong performance in Russia could generate renewed interest from NHL clubs for the following year, though no formal offers have been reported.
