Interesting that they're moving so slow on the HC hire - makes me wonder if they're waiting for the playoffs to end, because they want to interview some assistants - HCs of playoff teams that get out of the 1st rd are rarely fired or walk.
I don't get the hate for Hayes, other than personal aesthetics, but I don't date athletes, so I couldn't give a shit how pretty they are - he's played as well (when healthy) as Voracek and JVR the last three years - and he's played through severe pain to try and help his short-handed team, which is something Philly fans usually admire (say compared to an overpaid player who bails on his team).
Sure he's overpaid, but so are JVR and Voracek, and most players with pre-COVID contracts.
But when healthy (i.e. Jan/Feb last season, and when he returned in March this season) he's been a solid 2C.
109g 27-35 62 - prorated 82g 20-26 46 at ES. 6-6 pp, 4-1 SH, prorate 28-31 59 total.
He's average defensively, but so is JVR at best, and Voracek has been below average defensively at 5x5 the last two years.
He's more of a PP2 guy where JVR and Voracek are solid PP1 guys (though Voracek is no longer a threat to score goals)
But he's also a solid PK guy when healthy.
And Hayes is a center who can play wing, whereas JVR is limited to LW and Voracek to RW.
Which is not to say a healthy Hayes is the guy to build around, but he's not a liability either. No more than the other two.
last 3 years:
Voracek 201g 21-90 111 ES, 6-44 50 PP - prorated 9-37 46 at ES, 2-18 20 on the PP. 11-55 66 total
JVR 204g 37-54 101 ES, 23-7 30 PP - prorated 15-22 37 at ES, 9-3 12 PP. 24-25 47 total.
