Penguins Recall Avery Hayes for Second Time After Two AHL Hat Tricks

The Pittsburgh Penguins recalled forward Avery Hayes from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, marking his second NHL call-up this season after a stretch that included two AHL hat tricks and a memorable NHL debut. In 36 AHL games this season Hayes has 30 points - 19 goals and 11 assists - and TribLIVE reported he has been red-hot with 10 goals in his past 10 games.

Hayes first reached the NHL on Feb. 5, when he was recalled and scored twice in a 5-2 road win over the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center. The Hockey News noted, “His first goal came on his first shot in the first period of that game before scoring again later in that period.” Hayes was returned to Wilkes-Barre the following day, then responded by scoring a hat trick in his very next AHL game and later recorded another hat trick on Feb. 18 against the Springfield Thunderbirds.

The recall comes as the Penguins return from the Olympic break and seek additional forward depth. The Hockey News reported the team “made it official on Monday after Inside AHL Hockey's Tony Androckitis first reported the news over the weekend.” TribLIVE’s copy said the Penguins recalled Hayes on Sunday, while Pittsburgh Hockey Now and WPXI placed the move after the NHL roster freeze expired Monday; reports conflict on the precise transaction timing and team records should clarify the official timestamp.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now detailed Hayes’ background: the 23-year-old winger signed out of the Peterborough Petes as an undrafted free agent, worked his way from a platoon role at Wilkes-Barre into a full-time spot, and last season played 60 games with 23 goals. PHN also noted Hayes is listed as the 23rd man on the Penguins roster and that Filip Hallander is with Wilkes-Barre on a conditioning assignment; PHN wrote that the Penguins “will have to make a move to activate Hallander from injured reserve next week.”

PHN added that coach Dan Muse “didn’t hide his appreciation for Hayes’s overall game while speaking on the record,” reflecting the staff’s favorable view of the 23-year-old’s pro progression. The recall reunites Hayes with NHL opportunity after he produced immediate results in Buffalo and dominated at the AHL level, a sequence that has pushed him into roster conversations as Pittsburgh navigates post-Olympic scheduling.

The Penguins are scheduled to return to game action Thursday against the New Jersey Devils, per The Hockey News. Whether Hayes draws into the lineup will determine how quickly the scoring surge that produced two hat tricks at Wilkes-Barre impacts Pittsburgh’s forward group.