Daily News | Flyers’ Kevin Hayes is embracing John Tortorella’s challenge following the hardest year of his life
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“If I have to go get something quickly, being able to jog, I haven’t done that for two years,” Hayes said.Growing up in Boston, Hayes never dreamed he’d make it to the NHL. But once he got there, he discovered the journey was far from over. He describes his rookie self with the New York Rangers as an “out-of-shape offensive player.” That worked initially before he got “exposed” in his second year. He learned that to stick, you have to keep finding ways to improve.
He remembers his home return on Nov. 16 for two reasons. After weeks of waiting to play, Hayes was finally able to honor his brother, Luckily, they decided to go to an infectious disease doctor, Hayes said, and within 24 hours of his appointment, Hayes was told he “couldn’t sweat for six weeks.” On Jan. 18, the team announced that Hayes had had fluid drained from a muscle in his thigh and that he would be out 3-4 weeks. While helping Hayes change out his blood bags, Yandle said he had a tough time watching such a big, full-of-life guy brought so low by pain.
He would joke to the trainers that if he could just survive the camp, he’d be fine for games. But after the culmination of the preseason, he realized there was a lot of truth in that statement. Hayes has embraced Tortorella’s challenge as a positive sign. It showed him that Tortorella sees him as a talented player and an important part of the team, and heAfter missing the final 53 games last season and undergoing back surgery, Flyers center Sean Couturier attacked his offseason rehab,“I mean, it’s the same thing I went through last year,” Hayes said. “You feel good and all of a sudden you come to the rink one day and you’re back to square one. It [stinks].
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