After having his negotiating rights traded to the Flyers, he signed a contract worth $50 million over seven years with Philadelphia. He stayed with the Flyers from 2019 until just ahead of last year’s draft; per the trade, Philadelphia agreed to retain 50% of his $7,142,857 salary while acquiring a sixth-round pick in the 2024 draft.

Hayes, considering he is 32 years old and coming off the lowest-scoring season of his career and a year in which he had one of the smallest roles he’s ever had, would seemingly be a ‘buy low’ option for the Penguins.

Although Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin occupy Pittsburgh’s top two lines at center, Hayes could slot in as either the third or fourth-line center for the Penguins. After trading away Jake Guentzel, the Penguins had to rely on 35-year-old Lars Eller as the team’s third-line center and Noel Acciari on the fourth line.

The aging Penguins fell short of the playoffs for a second straight season this year, which is the first time that has happened in nearly 20 years — before 2023, the Penguins had only missed the playoffs when Crosby was a rookie. The team made a strong surge near the end of the season with 10-game points streak before dropping two of their last three games and missing out on the postseason.

Pittsburgh finished the year with a 38-32-12 record and 88 points, three points behind the final Wild Card spot. Crosby, who led the team this past season with 42 goals, 52 assists, and 94 points, is entering the final year of his contract. Crosby signed a 12-year, $104.4 million deal with the Penguins back in 2012, and at age 36 (he will turn 37 in August), the next contract he signs could very well be his last.