Report: Bruins Buy Out Remainder Of Jimmy Hayes' Contract
BOSTON (CBS) -- The Bruins have cut ties with the last remaining connection to the Tyler Seguin trade. They have bought out the final year of winger Jimmy Hayes' contract, according to Elliotte Friedman.
Hayes was set to cost the Bruins $2.3 million against the cap in 2017-18. The buyout will save the team over $1.7 million next season and cost about $866,000 next season, according to CapFriendly.
Hayes, 27, was acquired from the Panthers in 2015 for Reilly Smith, who was part of the 2013 Seguin trade. He scored just 34 points with a minus-15 rating in 133 games for the Bruins. He has scored 100 points with a minus-27 in 301 career games in the NHL.
With the Hayes buyout, the Bruins have lost all possible connections to their trade of Seguin, the former No. 2 overall pick who has gone on to score 306 points in 305 games for the Dallas Stars. The other pieces - Loui Eriksson, Joe Morrow, and Matt Fraser - have left the team for nothing in return.
The Smith-for-Hayes swap only made the trade look worse, as the former went on to score 40 goals in the past two seasons combined for the Panthers. Although Smith is coming off a down year in 2016-17, with just 15 goals and 37 points in 80 games, he looked like an All-Star in comparison to Hayes.
Now relieved of feeling the need to force Hayes into the lineup, the Bruins can focus on adding young prospects or more viable options to the roster at the right wing spot.
