Former New York Rangers center Kevin Hayes announces he is retiring from professional hockey after playing only five games in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), according to a statement he releases via the league.
The 34-year-old, described as a two-way center, spent more than four years in the NHL with the Rangers early in his career. Multiple outlets report that Hayes’ decision is announced in a statement posted on the league’s channels, with no additional details about the underlying reasons provided in the coverage.
Both reports focus on the abrupt end to his KHL stint and present the retirement as a personal career decision rather than as a reaction to a specific incident. They also note his age and role, but the broader context of his KHL contract, performance, or future plans is not elaborated beyond the five-game span.
