PHILADELPHIA -- Kevin Hayes said he knows what to expect when he returns to Wells Fargo Center with the St. Louis Blues to face the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday (7 p.m. ET; BSMW, NBCSP).
"I'm sure I'll get booed," he said. "I would be surprised if I didn't."
Hayes played four seasons with the Flyers, which ended when he was traded to the Blues on June 27, 2023, for a sixth-round pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.
During his time in Philadelphia, Hayes ingrained himself in the city and the culture of the fan base. He said the passion of Flyers fans is the thing he's missed the most since leaving.
"Just the loyalty of the fans, how crazy the fan base is here," he said. "Good and bad, honestly. They let you know when you're not playing well, and they're super loyal when things are going good. I spent my first five or six years [in the NHL] as a visiting player coming here and it was always an easy answer [when asked] what was the worst/best fan base and it was Philly. And then I got to be part of it for four years and I'm thankful for it. I loved my time here."
Last season, Hayes had a personal NHL-best 54 points (18 goals, 36 assists) in 81 games and played in the 2023 NHL All-Star Game. But he was scratched for a game in December, shifted to the wing from his natural center position, and his ice time and role were cut during the second half of the season as the Flyers dropped in the standings and younger players were prioritized.
When the season ended, Hayes said he felt his time in Philadelphia was coming to an end. And though he and coach John Tortorella disagreed philosophically, Hayes said there never was any animosity between them.
"I think the media and the fans kind of built this story around me and 'Torts' not liking each other and bad blood, but there wasn't really any bad blood," Hayes said. "He was honest on what he felt, and I was honest on what I felt. Away from the rink, we chatted, he would check in on my family. That's what happens in this business. There's no bad blood, there's no hard feelings.
"I enjoyed every second I was here. ... [The Flyers] were kind of going in a different direction and I think everyone kind of knew that the trade was going to happen."
Hayes has 22 points (10 goals, 12 assists) in 60 games and has won 56.7 percent of his face-offs this season. The positivity he brings on a daily basis has been just as pivotal.
"It's really important, something that we lacked a little bit before he got here," Blues forward Robert Thomas said. "It's really important especially for young guys. It's really hard, a busy schedule, tough travel, and it's tough to be kind of up and ready to go every day. Having someone like that definitely brings the best out of our young guys."
Hayes said being that upbeat presence is something he's leaned into especially since the death of his older brother, former NHL forward Jimmy Hayes, on Aug. 23, 2021.
"I've tried to be that positive, happy person all the time," he said. "I think it helps any room. This room, I've tried to make sure everyone's having a good time and feeling that they're being their best selves, on and off the ice. I think in order to be successful as an individual in this league, you need to have kind of clear thoughts and feel good about yourself. I try to do that as much as I can.
"I wish I was playing a little bit better on the ice, but off the ice, it's always it's always been the same for me."
It will be emotional, but Hayes will try to treat Monday like any other game. Having played the Flyers in St. Louis on Jan. 15 will make that a bit easier.
"It'll be a fun night," he said. "First time back, I'm excited. At the end of the day, it's just another game, we need the two points bad now, I think they do too. So it should be a good match."
