Earlier today, Kevin Hayes was featured on a conference call as a means to check in during the NHL’s pause of the 2019-2020 season. Always entertaining, Hayes discussed a wide range of topics. After the conference call, it’s clear that “Hollywood” Hayes is in this together with all of us. From his concerns during the pandemic to the way that he is spending his time, the right-winger is one of us! Here’s what we took away from checking in with Hayes:
Hayes Misses Hockey Too
As a stand out player on the Philadelphia Flyers, Kevin Hayes certainly misses competing on the ice. Just before the NHL was forced to suspend the 2019-2020 season due to the COVID19 pandemic, the Flyers were rolling through the competition. The transition is strange when a team goes from playing at such a high level to being forced to stay at home.
“This situation has never happened before. I miss going to the rink every day and seeing the guys, seeing the coaches and kind of being able to go out and play against other teams and play in front of our fans.“
Kevin Hayes; 4/2/20
Alain Vigneault enforced a system that his players subscribed to. All season long, the Philadelphia Flyers were playing for each other, pushing each other down a proper path to be an elite NHL team in 2019-2020. Due to COVID19, the shame is that the Flyers may not see the light at the end of the tunnel after a successful regular season to date.
“I haven’t skated since the practice before we went to Tampa. The hardest part of staying in hockey shape is getting on the ice. We can do as much as we want, but nothing really correlates to on-ice training.“
Kevin Hayes; 4/2/20
With the NHL not yet canceling the regular season, the worry remains on what kind of condition the NHL players will be in if the season resumes. Kevin Hayes noted that he has been going to the gym and has been using his Peloton. That kind of conditioning helps the body keep in shape, but “hockey shape” can only be carved out on the ice. Hayes is a student of the Tom Brady “TB12” workout program. He credits that to noticeable differences to play at a high level and preserve his body.
Precautions of the COVID19 Pandemic
“I think people kind of took it lightly in the beginning and they weren’t following the right procedures to quarantine. We’ve kind of suffered a little because of that.“
Kevin Hayes; 4/2/20
We all should heed to the advice that Kevin Hayes acknowledges. While he used to live in New York City while on the New York Rangers, Hayes noticed just how surreal it is to see videos of normally busy cities turned into ghost towns. Currently, his former home is an epicenter of COVID19. It’s not just his former home, but Hayes’ family, he cited is taking extra precautions.
“I went back to Boston pretty much right away. My whole family, my three sisters, my brother, and my mom and dad are probably all within 15 minutes of each other. Everyone’s doing well. My sister’s pregnant, so she’s kind of the queen of making sure everyone’s doing the right thing.“
Kevin Hayes; 4/2/20
Thoughts of the NHL Resuming
This COVID19 pandemic is bigger than sports. Hypothetically, if the NHL season resumed, Kevin Hayes noted that he would be fine playing in a neutral space without fans. Reasonably speaking, that would be an even playing ice for everyone.
“If there’s no fans there, I don’t think you would have that much home-ice advantage. Ice is the same everywhere. So yes, I am willing to play at a neutral site.“
Kevin Hayes; 4/2/20
Staying with that mantra, the Philadelphia Flyers composure is one that never was over-confident. The key was finding a balance to not get complacent because they’re blossoming into an elite NHL team. While a strong performing team, the Flyers kept hungry and driven for high levels of success. If the season were to resume, Kevin Hayes feels the Philadelphia locker room is capable of putting the pieces back together.
“I think everyone has completely bought into our system. I think if in a couple months we go back to it if it’s up in the playoffs, I am pretty confident we have some older veterans that would make sure everyone’s back to business pretty quickly.“
Kevin Hayes; 4/2/20
Hayes’ Quarantine Life
Much like myself, Kevin Hayes has turned towards gaming. He noted that he occupies his time playing “Call of Duty” with Joel Farabee on Xbox. Michael Raffl is also sporting a new look after he shaved his head.
“I’ll hit up Farabee for Call of Duty. Michael Raffl sent a hilarious snap the other day. He shaved his head, so we were kind of giving it to him. I don’t think he is too concerned because he lives in Austria and not going to see anyone for a couple of months.”
Kevin Hayes; 4/2/20
Kevin Hayes is very much in this with us. His day is similar to all of us who are self-quarantining at home during COVID19. The daily routine is checking in on loved ones, his teammates, keeping his physical and mental fitness tidy, and taking up new skills like cooking. Hayes’ recent dish was eggplant parm and chicken tips. “Hollywood” Hayes is doing well in these uncharted waters.
Mandatory Credit – © Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports
