Hayes Joins Comets Amid Run Toward Postseason

WILKES-BARRE, Pa. - As Zack Hayes wrapped up practice with the Chicago Wolves Friday morning, the upcoming American Hockey League (AHL) trade/loan deadline later that afternoon wasn't even on his mind.

That is, until the Carolina Hurricanes came calling.

Hayes got a phone call around noon from the Hurricanes' assistant GM as he was heading home from practice, informing him he had been traded to the New Jersey Devils organization and would be reporting to their AHL affiliate - the Utica Comets.

"No, it always comes out of the blue," Hayes told InsideAHLHockey.com Saturday night after his first game with his new team, adding that the trade gives him a fresh new opportunity with a Comets team solidly in playoff contention in the North Division.

"It definitely sucks to leave [Chicago], but also coming into a place where second in the division, looking forward to, hopefully a long playoff run with a good group of guys. I'm excited for the opportunity," he added.

After finding out about the trade, Hayes headed back to his apartment to pack up what he could and headed to Chicago's O'Hare International Airport to catch a 7 o'clock flight out of Chicago Friday night to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport to meet his new teammates Saturday in advance of their game that night against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

"It was five-six hours," Hayes recalled of the time he had between finding out he was traded and getting to the airport for a flight out of town. "Enough time to pack everything and then, hopefully, go back and get the rest of my stuff," he added with a laugh.

But that's the reality of life as a pro hockey player. A trade can happen, and in the blink of an eye you need to pack up & be ready to move to a new city and play with a new group of teammates.

For Hayes, he left most of his belongings in Chicago and joined his new team in the midst of a road trip. While it's a bit of a hassle off the ice, he'll be able to get situated in Utica after the team's road game Sunday in Allentown, Pa.

With Utica solidly in second place in the North Division standings, it will likely mean Hayes will be in Utica for more than the final month of the regular season - something that excites Hayes like it would for any other hockey player.

"Yeah, it's definitely exciting. Playoffs are the best time of the year, especially with a team that everyone believes that you have a chance to win," Hayes said of his new situation, going from a Chicago team out of the playoff race in the Central Division to a strong Utica team in the North Division. "You need to have that belief factor and even after just [my first] game [here] everyone's got that belief."

Comets head coach Kevin Dineen was impressed with Hayes' debut Saturday.

"I liked this game," Dineen told InsideAHLHockey.com of Hayes' first game with the Comets Saturday nigh. "I didn't really know Zack as a player and watched a little bit of video but he's a big body and I thought as the game moved along, he got really comfortable and I thought that's a real strong addition for our team. You can never have enough good, quality defensemen like that."

As the AHL regular season winds down, the intensity on the ice picks up. Offense is harder to come by, and it's the teams that are able to grind out low-scoring, tight-checking games down the stretch that get themselves "built" for the postseason.

On Saturday night, Utica showcased their ability to do just that - playing a relentless pressuring Penguins' team to a 1-1 game into the final eight minutes of the third period before breaking through - a sign of good things to come for the Comets according to Dineen.

And in order to tighten up defensively, teams need guys that are fully bought in and willing to do whatever it takes to help the team win. And gathering from Dineen and Hayes himself on what he likes to bring to the rink - a hard-working, physical defenseman that's hard to play against in the dirty areas of the ice in the corners and at the net-front - it's clear the Comets saw Hayes' game as a fit for what they want to bring in the Calder Cup Playoffs this spring.