Gavin Hayes scored a goal to tie things up with Saginaw–but it wouldn’t be enough as the Spirit would score a goal in the third and then seal it off with empty netter to end the Soo Greyhounds season. Hayes still finishes impressively, with 16 points in 11 playoff games–seven of them as goals. With his OHL season now over, could he find his way to Rockford now, too?
Nick Lardis, Paul Ludwinski, Martin Misiak…and Gavin Hayes?
Hayes would be joining an already growing contingency of OHL opponents–and fellow Blackhawks prospects–on the IceHogs. Paul Ludwinski was loaned to Rockford while Nick Lardis signed an amateur tryout. Both were bounced in the first round of the OHL playoffs with their respective teams along with Martin Misak, who joined after his Erie Otters met the same fate.
Whether they’ll see a lot of ice time in the playoffs remains to be seen–it would be quite the jump in terms of compete. But Hayes joining would give the IceHogs a fourth player who scored often in the OHL on the roster. Rockford has been fighting through injuries as of late so maybe one of those four could at least crack the lineup?
Peeking a bit to the future, Hayes also seems to be one of the candidates to challenge for a spot in Chicago next fall. Colton Dach made enough of an impact with Seattle and ended up hanging onto the Blackhawks roster through training camp. Though an injury kept him from playing his first NHL game, Dach was sent back for a full year in Rockford but not before receiving kudos from the Blackhawks staff for his play.
Hayes is a valuable commodity not only has a right hand shot but because of how great he’s been scoring goals. It’s something the Blackhawks desperately need. Whether it’s next season or not doesn’t matter–extra time to develop with an IceHogs staff that has been terrific in preparing players for Chicago would be a tremendous asset.
But first, a wait to see if he joins his OHL opponents and fellow prospects soon in Rockford now. Wherever he ends up ultimately, the trajectory of Gavin Hayes is one to keep an eye on.
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