Avery Hayes (born October 10, 2002) is an American professional ice hockey player who is a right winger for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL).
Playing career Hayes played major junior ice hockey in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) for the Hamilton Bulldogs, and was later traded to the Peterborough Petes. Undrafted, he began his professional career with the American Hockey League (AHL)'s Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in 2023. In the midst of a productive 2024–25 AHL season, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's National Hockey League (NHL) affiliate, the Pittsburgh Penguins, signed Hayes to a two-year entry-level contract set to begin in .
With Blake Lizotte away from the team with his expectant wife and Noel Acciari and Rickard Rakell dealing with illness and injury, respectively, Hayes was recalled to make his NHL debut on February 5, 2026. He would score his first two NHL goals that night in a 5–2 Penguins win over the Buffalo Sabres.
International play In August 2019, Hayes represented the United States under-18 team at the 2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
Personal life Hayes is the oldest of four brothers, all of which play hockey. Gavin plays for the Rockford IceHogs as a prospect of the Chicago Blackhawks, who drafted him in the third round of the 2022 draft. Travis is a forward for the Soo Greyhounds and was a teammate of Gavin's during the 2023–24 season; the Penguins drafted Travis in the fourth round of the 2025 draft. His youngest brother Elijah was later drafted 241st overall by the Soo Greyhounds in the 2025 OHL Priority Selection.
Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 2018–19 Hamilton Bulldogs OHL 64 7 11 18 22 4 0 1 1 0 2019–20 Hamilton Bulldogs OHL 42 15 14 29 8 — — — — — 2020–21 HK Levice Slovakia2 14 3 6 9 0 2 0 0 0 0 2021–22 Hamilton Bulldogs OHL 66 41 38 79 37 16 14 20 34 19 2022–23 Hamilton Bulldogs OHL 33 27 14 41 40 — — — — — 2022–23 Peterborough Petes OHL 32 16 20 36 12 22 12 7 19 14 2023–24 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 29 6 3 9 6 2 0 0 0 0 2023–24 Wheeling Nailers ECHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 2024–25 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 60 23 19 42 58 2 1 0 1 2 2025–26 Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins AHL 42 24 15 39 48 15 3 3 6 40 2025–26 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 16 5 0 5 12 — — — — —NHL totals 16 5 0 5 12 — — — — —
International Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM 2019 United States U18 HG18 4 1 1 2 2Junior totals 4 1 1 2 2
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