Kevin Hayes

Kevin Hayes’ 2025-26 season is getting the full postmortem treatment, and that usually means the numbers did not tell a simple story. Pittsburgh has to sort out what still fits, what no longer does, and what this season actually said about Hayes’ place in the lineup. That is the part fans miss when they only look at goals and assists - the coaches are usually grading the shift after the stat sheet shuts down. This review digs into how much value was left on the table and what comes next.

Kevin Hayes' exit is getting framed the right way here, because teams remember plenty of players but they remember professionals even more. TribLIVE's Penguins A to Z look gives a closer read on how Hayes carried himself, and that matters in a room where details travel faster than the puck. The Penguins have seen enough roster churn to know that the way a veteran leaves can say as much as the points he put up, and this one sounds like it left a clean impression.