Zack Hayes
Canadian defenceman who debuted for the Vegas Golden Knights.
Zack Hayes is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and currently an unrestricted free agent. His most recent team was the Milwaukee Admirals in the American Hockey League (AHL). Though he went undrafted by any NHL club, Hayes has played in the league for the Vegas Golden Knights.
Born in Calgary, Alberta, on April 24, 1999, Hayes was the oldest of four children. He grew up playing soccer, lacrosse, volleyball, and field hockey, but ice hockey was his main passion. He played minor hockey for the Calgary Northstars in the Alberta Midget Hockey League (AMHL), putting up one goal and 10 points in 27 games during the 2015–16 season.
In the 2014 WHL bantam draft, the Prince Albert Raiders selected Hayes in the ninth round (184th overall). His parents wanted him to consider other options, and he played two games for the Canmore Eagles of the AJHL before signing with Prince Albert. After recording 29 points in his first 144 WHL games, he was named an alternate captain for the Raiders in 2018–19. That season, Prince Albert won the Ed Chynoweth Cup for the first time in 34 years and advanced to the 2019 Memorial Cup as WHL champions, where they were eliminated in round-robin play by the Guelph Storm.
The following season, Hayes became the Raiders' team captain. He set career highs with seven goals and 16 assists in 60 games, along with a team-leading plus–minus of +37. Over his entire major junior career, he totaled 15 goals and 79 points in 272 games.
On April 6, 2020, the Vegas Golden Knights signed Hayes to a one-year AHL contract with their affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights. A year later, on March 30, 2021, the Golden Knights gave him a three-year, entry-level NHL contract starting with the 2021–22 season. Hayes made his NHL debut on March 21, 2022, in a 3–0 shutout loss to the Minnesota Wild.
He began the 2022–23 season back with the Silver Knights in the AHL. After one assist in 14 games, the Golden Knights traded him to the Carolina Hurricanes for future considerations on November 30, 2022. He was assigned to the Hurricanes' AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, where he recorded three points in 14 games. At the NHL trade deadline, the Hurricanes traded him to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for forward Jack Dugan. Hayes finished the season with the Devils' AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets.
Quick Facts
- Birth Date
- 1999-04-24
- Birth Place
- Calgary, Alberta, Canada
- Height Ft
- 6
- Height In
- 3
- Weight Lb
- 227
- Position
- Defenceman
- Shoots
- Left
- League
- AHL
- Team
- Free agent
- Former Teams
- Vegas Golden Knights / Vaasan Sport
- Draft
- Undrafted
- Career Start
- 2021
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
Hayes was born in Calgary, Alberta, the oldest of four children, and played several sports as a child, including soccer, lacrosse, volleyball, and field hockey, but was most passionate about ice hockey. He spent his minor ice hockey career with the Calgary Northstars of the Alberta Midget Hockey League (AMHL), recording one goal and 10 points in 27 games during the 2015–16 season. Selected in the ninth round (184th overall) of the 2014 WHL bantam draft, his parents wanted him to explore other options, and he played two games for the Canmore Eagles of the AJHL before ultimately agreeing to a contract with Prince Albert. After recording 29 points through his first 144 WHL games, he was named an alternate captain for the Raiders in 2018–19, a season in which Prince Albert won the Ed Chynoweth Cup for the first time in 34 years and advanced to the 2019 Memorial Cup. The following season, he was named team captain and set career highs with seven goals and 16 assists in 60 games, along with a team-leading +37 plus–minus. He finished his major junior career with 15 goals and 79 points across 272 total games.
Reader's Guide
Hayes signed a one-year contract with the Vegas Golden Knights' AHL affiliate, the Henderson Silver Knights, on April 6, 2020. On March 30, 2021, the Golden Knights signed him to a three-year, entry-level contract that would take effect for the 2021–22 NHL season. He was promoted to Vegas on March 21, 2022, making his NHL debut in a 3–0 shutout loss to the Minnesota Wild. In the 2022–23 season, he was re-assigned to begin the campaign with the Silver Knights in the AHL. After registering one assist through 14 games, Hayes was traded by the Golden Knights to the Carolina Hurricanes in exchange for future considerations on November 30, 2022, and assigned directly to the Hurricanes' AHL affiliate, the Chicago Wolves. He made 14 further appearances with the Wolves, collecting three points, before being traded for the second time within the NHL season, dealt from the Hurricanes to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for forward Jack Dugan at the league's annual trade deadline. He finished the season with the Devils' AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets. At the conclusion of his contract with the Devils, Hayes opted to embark on a career abroad by agreeing to a one-year contract with Finnish-based Vaasan Sport of Liiga on September 19, 2023, brought in to strengthen the team's defence corps after an injury to Valtteri Hietanen. He returned to North America after a single season overseas, signing a one-year AHL contract with the Laval Rocket on July 22, 2024. On July 2, 2025, Hayes agreed to a one-year contract with the Milwaukee Admirals for the 2025–26 season.
Did You Know?
- Hayes was originally undrafted by NHL teams.
- He was named captain of the Prince Albert Raiders in his final WHL season.
- Hayes made his NHL debut for the Vegas Golden Knights on March 21, 2022.
- He played for Vaasan Sport in Finland's Liiga during the 2023–24 season.
More in Vegas Golden Knights Players 1-24
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