Veteran forward Kevin Hayes has announced his retirement after playing in just five KHL games to start this season.
The 34-year-old winger went without a point in five games with Ak Bars Kazan after signing a one-year deal to join the club in August.
“I have decided to end my hockey career,” Hayes said in a statement released by the Russian league on X. “I can no longer play at the level I am capable of because my body does not allow me to perform at my best. And I cannot accept not being in top form.”
Hayes retires after playing 12 seasons in the NHL, in addition to the brief stint in the KHL.
He spent the past two years with the Pittsburgh Penguins but appeared in just 28 games this past season, posting four goals and eight points on the campaign.
He became an unrestricted free agent on July 1 as the seven-year, $50 million contract he signed with the Philadelphia Flyers in 2019 expired. The deal carried a cap hit of $7.14 million, though half of it was retained by Philadelphia when Hayes was dealt to the St. Louis Blues in 2023.
Selected 24th overall by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2010 draft, Hayes leaves the NHL with 185 goals and 445 points in 805 career games.
He did not appear in a game with the Blackhawks, instead making his debut with the New York Rangers in 2014. He also spent time with the Winnipeg Jets, Flyers, Blues and Penguins over his career.
