Today was a tough day for hockey fans. It was with great sadness that we learned about the passing of Jimmy Hayes. We know him as a former New Jersey Devils forward, but he also spent time with the Chicago Blackhawks, Florida Panthers, and Boston Bruins.
In addition to being a local hockey legend in his hometown, he was just a sweet human being. You can tell by the outpour of sadness that he had a big impact on the world. It is fair to be so sad about this but it is okay to smile at how happy he made a lot of different people on his 31-year journey.
It is always sad when someone passes away but it does seem like Jimmy’s impact was like no other. He was a magnificent leader in his time with the New Jersey Devils and it is clear that he had an impact on the organization. He played in 33 games with them and had three goals and three assists for six points.
It was a huge year for the Devils (2017-18) as there were a lot of young players on the team looking to take the next step. By all accounts, Hayes was very good to have in terms of leadership for these kids trying to make a name for themselves in the league.
It is so sad to hear the news about former New Jersey Devils forward, Jimmy Hayes.
https://twitter.com/NJDevils/status/1429863796504465408
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— Brian Boyle (@BriBrows22) August 23, 2021
There have been times in my life when I’ve been at a loss for words, lack of understanding and just bewildered… today I’m hurting for so many reasons because we lost one of our brothers in the hockey world. I was fortunate enough to play with with jimmy at 6 years old and get pic.twitter.com/TzlAA8944V
— P.K. Subban (@PKSubban1) August 23, 2021
Jimmy’s wife, kids and the whole family and community in the dot. Life is short… cherish family, friends and live each moment like it’s your last🙏🏿❤️ RIP jimmy
— P.K. Subban (@PKSubban1) August 23, 2021
Those are just a few examples of a million people sharing thoughts on his passing. Of course, we know about his brother Kevin who is an elite forward on the Philadelphia Flyers. The Hayes family has had a big impact on the hockey world over their time here and are local legends in Dorchester. When you go from playing there to Boston College to the NHL, and specifically the Boston Bruins, you become a local legend. That was Jimmy Hayes.
From everything that has been said about him today, it is clear that he had a magnificent personality and helped a lot of people. He will be missed. To his brother Kevin, his wife, two children, family, and friends, we send out condolences for your loss and hope you find peace during this incredibly sad time. Rest in peace, Jimmy. We won’t forget you soon.