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Hayes Watch, All 50 Caulfield Goals, Suzuki Excellence

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Hayes Watch, All 50 Caulfield Goals, Suzuki Excellence

Here are the Montreal Canadiens news items, stories and content you may have missed on Friday.

montreal canadiens news

Now that the University of Michigan has been eliminated from the Frozen Four, the spotlight is on Michael Hayes. Hayes is expected to sign a contract in the next few days, and once that is done, the main issue will be his usage. Ideally, the Canadians would put him in a favorable position to thrive as a rookie. [Finding The Ideal Canadiens Lineup Spot For Top Prospect Hage]

Check out all 50 goals scored by Habs sniper Cole Caufield this season. You’ll notice that not a single one of them happened into an empty net.

Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki, lost in excitement Thursday, now has more points than any other captain in team history with 98.

Josh Anderson, who has increased the intensity level in recent games, suggests the Habs will not be intimidated by teams like the Lightning. Tampa Bay is known for its flashy style of play, which has become a calling card for Florida-based teams.

The Canadians were given Friday off, which meant no one skated in Brossard. Even Lane Hutson was not seen on the ice, a clear sign that the team was serious about its players’ comfort.

ICYMI: Cole Caufield has officially reached the 50-goal mark after scoring early against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday night. Check out some of the stats powering his impressive season. [Caufield’s 50 Goals By The Numbers]

Sportsknot Network

The New Jersey Devils appear to be completely fixated on Sunny Mehta, who is certainly the hottest name on the front-office market. But if the Devils can bring back their former analytics director as general manager, their next port of call should be Brendan Shanahan. [New Jersey Devils]

As the regular season winds down, the NHL playoff picture is heating up. With just days left in the 2026 regular season, several division titles and wild card spots remain undecided, setting up a chaotic finish that could reshape the Stanley Cup playoff bracket. Here are eight predictions for how the final stretch of the NHL regular season will unfold. [NHL]

Following the Boston Bruins’ practice Friday morning at Warrior Ice Arena, Marco Sturm announced that James Hagens would not make his debut for the Bruins on Saturday. [Boston Bruins]

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Mark has been covering the Habs for over a decade. He previously worked for the Journal Metro, The Athletic, The… More about Mark Dumont


#Hayes #Watch #Caulfield #Goals #Suzuki #Excellence

Finding the ideal Canadiens lineup spot for top prospect Hayes

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Finding the ideal Canadiens lineup spot for top prospect Hayes

The Montreal Canadiens are one of the hottest teams in the NHL, and they could be getting a very interesting reinforcement in the form of NCAA star Michael Hayes.

The 19-year-old Hayes enjoyed a stellar sophomore season with the University of Michigan, scoring 13 goals and 39 assists in 39 games. He finished the season with 52 points, more than Gavin McKenna (Penn State), Porter Martone (50 points, Michigan State) and James Hagens (47 points, Boston College).

But for Hayes it’s not just a matter of production.

His playing style is the epitome of dynamic hockey.

He executes his plays at full speed, combining elite playmaking with high-level vision. This is the driving force behind Hayes’ No. 1 ranking among Montreal Canadiens prospects, as voted on by Habs fans.

In that way, despite the fact that he has only spent two seasons in the NCAA, and has yet to play a single game of professional hockey, you can argue that Hayes is one of the team’s most NHL-ready prospects.

“Michigan lost, the Michael Hayes clock is on,” Elliotte Friedman explained on his latest 32 Thoughts podcast. “We’ll see where it goes in the next few days.”

michael hayes status

We can expect Hayes to sign a contract in the near future, although the nature of said contract may vary. As established by Nicolas Cloutier, the contract will not necessarily last in the NHL, even though this is the most likely scenario. There is a possibility that Hayes and the Canadiens will want to test the waters in the AHL through an amateur tryout before signing an NHL deal.

However, in all likelihood Hayes will want to waste a year of his entry-level contract by signing in the NHL, which will lead to some important decisions in Montreal’s lineup.

Hayes is currently dealing with an injury that caused him to miss a few playoff games for the University of Michigan, so rushing out a contract signing is not a priority when it comes to signing, but once he is ready to play, head coach Martin St-Louis will need to establish the ideal usage for the talented prospect.

It’s a situation that’s complicated by the team’s injuries, or lack thereof.

The Habs are a remarkably healthy team at the moment, a rare occurrence for an organization known for overstocking hospitals.

On the flip side of the coin, just because a player is given the green light to play in the NHL doesn’t mean they aren’t going to struggle with minor issues. Many, if not most, NHL players have persistent health issues that are not serious enough to keep them out of the lineup.

With that in mind, the Canadiens may be able to rest some of their players in the final stretch of the season. Of course, the fact that first place in the Atlantic Division is still up for grabs may influence Montreal’s roster decisions, but I digress.

Montreal Canadiens Forward Situation

The only forward who is still on the mend is Patrik Laine, leaving 14 healthy players fighting for 12 spots. That number will increase to 15 if Hayes signs a contract, allowing at least three forwards to see games in the press box as healthy scratches.

It’s also important to remember that Hayes is expected to eventually become one of the top-six players for the Canadiens, meaning the ideal usage would involve filling that role as early as possible. Hopefully, the days of forcing an extremely talented young player to be on the fourth line in a role unsuitable for his skill set are over.

Given that there is little chance that Saint-Louis will want to disrupt his elite first line (again), the second line signals for the hedge.

And yet, given that the only two relatively permanent players on the second line are also first-year players (Ivan Demidov and Oliver Kapanen), there is some logic in suggesting that running a trio with three rookies could spell trouble.

But if there’s one coach in the NHL who will give the experiment a legitimate shot, it’s definitely St.-Louis.

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Mark has been covering the Habs for over a decade. He previously worked for the Journal Metro, The Athletic, The… More about Mark Dumont

#Finding #ideal #Canadiens #lineup #spot #top #prospect #Hayes

Hayes Voted Best Prospect, Pickford Excellence, Laval

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Hayes Voted Best Prospect, Pickford Excellence, Laval

Montreal – There’s Montreal Canadiens news every hour, and we’re all bound to miss a news story or two. On Sundays, we recap relevant NHL news you may have missed to help you stay in the Habs loop.

Make sure you don’t miss any news from Canadians by signing up for our weekly newsletter! You can also sign up for a daily newsletter covering various other NHL teams, or the most exciting developments in the game.[Sportsnaut]

Montreal Canadiens News and Notes

He landed the top spot in our annual Montreal Canadiens prospect rankings, voted on by Habs fans. Dynamic forward Michael Hayes earned the No. 1 spot because of his elite skill set, not to mention he has already established himself as one of the top players in the NCAA. It remains to be seen how long he’ll stay in the NCAA, and whether the Habs will want him to spend some time in the AHL before graduating to the NHL, but there’s no doubt that Hayes represents Montreal’s best hopes of drafting an elite player from their current prospect pool. [Canadiens Top 20 Prospects – No. 1 Dynamic Michael Hage]

Our analyst Ronnie Hermo took a deep dive into the data prepared by Samuel Montembeault, Jacob Dobbs and Jacob Fowler and the results may surprise you! Well, sensationalism aside, Ronnie always does a great job, and in this case, he has shed some important light on the current situation. While Dobbs has managed to win more games, the statistics show that Montembeault has also played relatively well. [Canadiens Analysis: – Which Goalie Should Start Down The Final Stretch Of The Season]

The Canadiens are reportedly interested in trading for Robert Thomas, but the cost would be too high. This makes sense, because Thomas is at his statistical peak, and you rarely see a player of his talent become available for trade. According to the report, the trade package would also include top Canadiens prospect Hayes, among others.

Laval rocket is doing its job properly. In addition to being the center of entertainment in Laval, they are set to honor firefighters with new jerseys over the weekend. They will then auction off the jerseys and the proceeds will be donated to the Canadian Cancer Society. This is a great initiative that clearly deserves our support. On that note, even if they aren’t supporting any important charities, I would still suggest going to see Rocket, as it offers the best bang for your buck when it comes to the entertainment budget. In particular, families benefit from the reasonable costs, great ambiance and great facilities at Place Bell.

Adam Nicholls continues to be one of the most important members of the Canadiens organization, helping young players become confident NHLers.

Besides, he also has a very good shot!

ICYMI: Netminder Jacob Fowler took the No. 2 spot in our Canadiens prospect rankings. All things considered, he has shown that he can be a dominant presence in every league from the USHL to the NHL, but we should be wary of thrusting him into the NHL spotlight too quickly. He still needs to absorb as much experience as possible in the AHL before the pressure of becoming Montreal’s starter comes. [Canadiens Top 20 Prospects – No. 2 Stoic Fowler]

It’s officially silly season! Habs-related rumors have been increasing, with one of the most recent reports linking the Calgary Flames to defenseman Arbor Zekaj. [Canadiens Rumours: Calgary Reportedly Interested in Xhekaj]

Patrik Laine’s name also came up on Tuesday. Apparently, the Los Angeles Kings have renewed interest in the power play specialist. [Canadiens Linked To Kings In Laine Trade Rumour]

While the Flames have shown interest in Zekaj, the Habs continue to kick the tires on Flames forward Nazem Kadri. [Evaluating Canadiens Rumour Linking Kadri To Montreal]

With the March 6 NHL trade deadline looming, we take a look at the most pressing needs of Kent Hughes and company. While many want the Habs to acquire a forward, the defensive situation is far more worrisome. Montreal scored a lot of goals, but struggled to keep the puck out of their own net. [Top 5 Canadiens Needs Heading Into Trade Deadline]

There were 12 goals scored in Tuesday night’s game between the Habs and Sharks! Watch highlights of the goal bonus in California that resulted in a 7-5 win for the Sharks [Canadiens Highlights: Goal Bonanza In San Jose]

One of the Canadiens’ top prospects, Bryce Pickford, refuses to stop scoring goals at will in the WHL. Pickford was voted as the No. 7 player in our annual Top 20 Habs prospects rankings. [Canadiens Top 20 Rankings – No. 7 The Extraordinary Bryce Pickford]

As always, phenom Lane Hutson has his eyes on the prize.

Given that the Habs have been linked to St. Louis Blues forward Robert Thomas, we decided to take a deeper look at his potential fit in the lineup as well as the estimated cost of his acquisition. [Evaluating The Trade Rumour Linking Thomas To The Canadiens]

Pierre LeBrun suggested the Canadiens might want to consider a goalie like Jordan Binnington. Honestly, I can’t see the Habs trading for a veteran netminder who has a worse save percentage than Samuel Montembeault. He also mentioned that the Habs are keeping an eye on Calgary Flames forward Nazem Kadri as well as New York Rangers forward Vincent Trocheck.

Speaking of goalie rumors that make no sense, Elliotte Friedman essentially shot down the idea that the Canadiens should take a serious look at Florida Panthers goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky.

Jimmy Murphy thinks the Habs could take a shot at AJ Greer or Brandon Duhaime. They are good depth options, but I would argue that bottom-six depth is not among Montreal’s most pressing needs as the trade deadline approaches. [Top 5 Canadiens Needs Ahead Of Trade Deadline]

This is not a rerun! Defenseman Bryce Pickford once again scored his 39th goal of the year. As a reminder, he was forced to miss some games due to injury. Wednesday night was his 49th game of the season. [Canadiens Top 20 Rankings – No. 7 The Extraordinary Bryce Pickford]

Pickford’s work was not completed there. He scored his 40th (!) goal of the year early in the second period.

He completed a hat trick, his third of the season, leading the Tigers to a 6–3 victory over the Brandon Wheat Kings.

Pierre LeBrun thinks the Canadiens have inquired about New York Rangers forward Vincent Trocheck ahead of the NHL trade deadline. Take a look at what Trocheck could bring to the Habs. [Trocheck Linked To Canadiens In Latest NHL Trade Deadline Talk]

Some insiders have suggested the Canadiens could pull the trigger on a deal that includes a goaltender, but the numbers suggest that veteran netminders like Sergei Bobrovsky and Jordan Binnington would be terrific trade targets. [Canadiens Trade Talk: Evaluating Potential Goaltender Targets]

ICYMI: Given that the Habs have been linked to St. Louis Blues forward Robert Thomas, we decided to take a deeper look at his potential fit in the lineup as well as the estimated cost of the acquisition. [Evaluating The Trade Rumour Linking Thomas To The Canadiens]

Juraj Slafkowski was returned to the first line in practice on Thursday, while Alex Newhook was moved to the second line, and Kirby Dach was moved to the third line. Mike Matheson was absent from practice, which led to a change in configuration between the defensive pairings.

The Canadians stuck to the deadline, but not for lack of effort. According to Kent Hughes, there was one particular trade that went to the wire, but ultimately failed. He also mentioned that a deal is still a possibility, pointing to potential “significant trade” in the summer. [Hughes Discusses Potential Significant Trade, Canadiens Deadline]

Speaking about trades, Hughes suggested that the Habs were sometimes included on the no-trade clause list, but this was mostly due to the previous ruling, and would not have any impact on any deals.

Watch all 41(!) goals of impressive Habs prospect Bryce Pickford. The talented defenseman was selected No. 7 in our annual prospect rankings. [Canadiens Top 20 Prospects: No.7 – Extraordinary Pickford]

Unfortunately, the highlight reel posted above is already out of date, as Pickford scored his 42nd goal of the year, helping the Medicine Hat Tigers defeat the Red Deer Rebels 7-3.

The star players made their mark, but it was not enough, as the Canadiens defeated the Ducks 6–5 in the shootout. There are so many highlights! [Habs Highlights: Star Players Salvage Point In Anaheim]

Jacob Fowler returned to play and immediately made an impact for the Laval Rocket, stopping 35 of 37 shots to secure a 4–2 victory for Montreal’s farm team. Fowler was the game’s first star, while Joshua Roy (16), Owen Beck (9), David Rickenbacker (5) and Florian Czekaj (11) scored for Laval.

Jacob Dobbs was solid, keeping the Canadiens on the first line in the game long enough to snatch a win from the jaws of defeat against the Los Angeles Kings. There’s no doubt, Montreal is a better team when Juraj Slafkowski, Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield play together. [Habs Highlights: First Line Dominance Saves Canadiens]

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Mark has been covering the Habs for over a decade. He previously worked for the Journal Metro, The Athletic, The… More about Mark Dumont


#Hayes #Voted #Prospect #Pickford #Excellence #Laval

Canadiens Top 20 Prospects – No. 1 Dynamic Hayes

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Canadiens Top 20 Prospects – No. 1 Dynamic Hayes

We’ve reached the top spot in our annual Montreal Canadiens Top 20 Prospect Rankings, as chosen by Habs fans.

Highly skilled center Michael Hayes, who was a top-three pick last year, is taking over as the top prospect in the organization.

Note: To qualify for the project, potential candidates must be 23 years of age or younger and currently playing outside the NHL. In other words, even though Canadian players like Len Hutson, Juraj Slafkowski and Ivan Demidov are young enough to qualify by age, they have already established themselves as NHL players and are no longer considered prospects.

Previously published Montreal Canadiens prospect profile

Canadian prospects who just missed the cut

Canadiens prospects ranked 20-16

Canadiens prospects ranked 15-11

No. 10 – Towering Hayden Poupanekis

No. 9 – Truculent Florian Zekaj

No. 8 – Highly skilled LJ Mooney

No. 7 – Extraordinaire Bryce Pickford

No. 6 – Cerebral Owen Beck

No. 5 – Highly Mobile Adam Engstrom

Number 4 – Enigmatic David Rickenbacker

No. 3 – Brilliant Alexander Zarovsky

Number 2 – Stoic Jacob Fowler

Michael Hayes

1. Center, Shoots Wright, 19, University of Michigan (NCAA), 6’1″, 198 lbs. Selected 21st overall in 2024.

Although there was some uncertainty about the rankings of the other players included in the project, there was some doubt that Michael Hayes would finish as the top prospect, as voted by Habs fans.

Hayes’ rookie season with the University of Michigan was encouraging. With 13 goals and 24 assists in 33 games, he managed to produce over a point-per-game in a lineup that lacked firepower, a testament to his impressive ability.

It’s important to remember that the jump from the USHL to the NCAA is one of the biggest challenges most players will face during their careers. While the USHL is a good league, the NCAA is where young players really learn how to work in defensive systems, how to improve important factors like nutrition and fitness, not to mention the various details that prepare them for life in the professional ranks.

In that vein, there was a definite risk that Hayes’ excellent production would not immediately translate to the USHL.

But Hayes didn’t need a grace period.

In fact, his first taste of NCAA action came in the form of a pair of assists. He scored his first NCAA goal the very next day, when the Wolverines defeated Minnesota State 4–1.

With a solid rookie season in the books, Hayes ensured that his sophomore season would be successful as well, featuring incredibly consistent production with 13 goals and 33 assists in 45 games. It should be noted that with Michigan considered one of the top teams in the country this year, Hayes’ offensive impact has played a large role in their improved ranking.

Strength

Some prospects manage to feature high-level skating.

Others may have superb hand-eye coordination.

But only a few can combine both skill sets, providing dynamic changes in the offensive zone on a nightly basis.

This is where Hayes separated himself from the herd. He is a great skater who has the ability to carve up our precious ice in the offensive zone. He has elite playmaking that allows him to find his teammates through the passing lanes he creates as he throws opposing players into chaos due to his speed of execution.

He drives the net with consistent confidence, a man who is on a mission to generate high-danger scoring chances. Transition speed is the name of the game whenever Hayes is on the ice.

While he prefers to pass rather than shoot, he has a good shot, including a sneaky release to fool the opposing goaltender, or a well-timed toe pull.

In addition to his excellent skill set, he also has the confidence needed to complete highlight plays with regularity, which is another encouraging sign when evaluating his long-term potential.

His play at the 2026 World Junior Championships was a perfect example of his excellence, especially since it came against players his own age rather than older opponents in the NCAA.

He was stripped of his spot on the World Junior Championship All-Star team, but no one can deny that he was one of the most impressive players in the tournament, as shown by the fact that he finished with 15 points in 7 games. No other player managed to score more points than Hayes, and if we’re being completely honest, he could have had a few more points if he had a little more luck shooting, and his teammates did a little better job of finishing games.

Despite this, it was clear that Hayes stood out as one of the best players on the international stage, yet another position in which he rose to the occasion.

weaknesses

Hayes is not a perfect player, but there are very few aspects of his game that would be considered weaknesses.

At times, he can hold the puck for too long, causing him to suffer big hits.

The good news is that he continued to drive the net even after being subjected to big body checks by his opponent, which shows that he doesn’t shy away from high-scoring areas just because he has to deal with a higher level of physicality.

I would argue that he needs to improve his defensive game before he is ready for professional hockey, but again, this is not necessarily a weakness. For a 19-year-old, aggressive guy who needs a little work on the defensive end, that’s par for the course.

There are some who may criticize his gifts in the offensive zone, however, Hayes is far from a turnover machine. He catches the puck more often than others, and that always results in a higher turnover rate. You could go so far as to suggest that players who turn the puck over with high frequency are generally the best players in any number of different leagues. As things stand, Nathan MacKinnon leads the NHL in turnovers, and by a wide margin, too. You’ll notice that MacKinnon and Hayes have very similar skill sets.

What to expect from Fowler moving forward?

Given that Hayes is one of the most productive players in the NCAA, there’s a good chance the Montreal Canadiens will want to graduate him at the end of the 2025-26 season, perhaps even giving him a few games in Montreal so he can dip his toes in the cool waters of professional hockey.

I’d avoid proposing that he’s NHL ready at this exact moment, meaning we could see him in the AHL, or even back in the NCAAs for a third season, but the fact remains that Hayes represents Montreal’s best chance to make a significant impact early next season.

He is also the best interior option to find a long-term solution for the second line, which is one of the most pressing issues when evaluating the Canadiens’ roster construction.

Simply put, Michael Hayes has what it takes to one day become a star player in the NHL and a key member of the Montreal Canadiens.

Montreal Canadiens player statistics via Elite Prospects.

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Mark has been covering the Habs for over a decade. He previously worked for the Journal Metro, The Athletic, The… More about Mark Dumont

#Canadiens #Top #Prospects #Dynamic #Hayes

LA has lost LeBron James-like potential due to Jackson Hayes injury

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LA has lost LeBron James-like potential due to Jackson Hayes injury

LOS ANGELES – Just when the Los Angeles Lakers were starting to get back to 100 percent healthy, they were informed of another injury, this time to backup center Jackson Hayes. Hayes suffered an ankle injury in the first half of the Lakers’ loss to the Boston Celtics on Sunday and did not return. Before the Lakers’ game against the Orlando Magic on Tuesday, head coach JJ Redick lamented the fact that Hayes’ absence means the team is losing this special ability that only LeBron James could possess.

“Unfortunately, no one on our team except LeBron can jump as high as him. So we’ll have to make do with Maxi.” [Kleber] And Wando,” Redick said. “And the good news is he’s going day by day. And he has already improved. He did a light court workout today. “Still a little sore, but we’re hopeful he’ll be back this week.”

Jackson Hayes was initially listed as questionable on the Lakers’ injury report for their game against the Magic, but he was downgraded to out just hours before tip-off. Hayes has struggled with ankle problems this season, but for the most part has been an integral part of the Lakers’ rotation.

Hayes is in his third season with the Lakers after initially signing as a free agent in the 2023 offseason. He originally signed a two-year contract with the team, and then re-signed to a one-year contract last offseason. Hayes played admirably as the starting center last year following the departure of Anthony Davis, but Redick ultimately ousted him amid the Lakers’ disappointing playoff run against the Minnesota Timberwolves.

This season, Hayes has appeared in 47 games, including seven starts, in just over 17 minutes per game. He averaged 6.8 points and 3.8 rebounds with a split of 77 percent shooting from the field and 64.1 percent shooting from the free-throw line. Hayes represented the Lakers in the Slam Dunk Contest at All-Star Weekend, but was eliminated in the opening round.

With Hayes out of the lineup, the backup center role will fall to the combination of Maxi Kleber and Jared Vanderbilt. Kleber represents the Lakers as a traditional big man in terms of size, while Vanderbilt has operated in small-ball lineups.


#lost #LeBron #Jameslike #potential #due #Jackson #Hayes #injury

Jackson Hayes drops truth bomb in NBA Slam Dunk Contest

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Jackson Hayes drops truth bomb in NBA Slam Dunk Contest

LOS ANGELES – For the first time since 2019-20, the Los Angeles Lakers have a participant for the Slam Dunk Contest at NBA All-Star Weekend in the form of big man Jackson Hayes. Dwight Howard competed in the championship for the last time in his lone season with the Lakers. Howard did not advance to the final round that season, with Derrick Jones Jr. taking home the hardware.

Jackson Hayes is the sixth Lakers player to be selected for the Slam Dunk Contest, but only Kobe Bryant has won the marquee event of NBA All-Star Saturday Night. Hayes is now attempting to become the second player in franchise history to bring home the trophy.

Over the past few seasons, the Slam Dunk Contest has come under increased scrutiny from fans, media, and players alike, and the contest has lost some of its luster compared to previous years. But for Hayes, he’s just trying to go out there and have fun, and try to bring excitement back to the competition.

“I want to bring as much fun and life back to this competition,” Hayes said during his media availability session. “Me and the guys were talking about it, we just want to make it a show. Just try to bring the dunk contest back in the best way possible, just go all out and have fun, and make it entertaining for people to watch.”

Hayes has wowed fans with some impressive dunks in games this season. He is good for Luka Doncic in almost every game. But the one that stood out so far this season was his Eastbay dunk, which he threw down during the Lakers’ win against the Chicago Bulls on January 26.

The inspiration for that dunk came when Hayes’ Lakers teammates made fun of him for throwing an ambiguous dunk on a fastbreak.

Hayes said, “At the beginning of the game my teammates were making fun of me. I had a fastbreak and I just did a simple two-handed dunk. Not hanging on the rim or anything, just dropping it in.” “Everyone was teasing me, they were all messing with me. I got a steal late in the game and I was just remembering the guys who were teasing me earlier and making fun of me, so I was like, ‘Okay I’ll do something.’

As far as Hayes’ production for the Lakers, he has been one of the team’s most consistent players this season with his energy and effort. He has appeared in 45 games, including seven starts, at a pace of just over 17 minutes per game. He is averaging 6.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.0 assists while shooting 77.2 percent from the field.


#Jackson #Hayes #drops #truth #bomb #NBA #Slam #Dunk #Contest

Jackson Hayes’ ‘Hawaii’ entry hints at future dunk contest plans

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Jackson Hayes’ ‘Hawaii’ entry hints at future dunk contest plans

LOS ANGELES – When the smoke cleared and the dust settled, Los Angeles Lakers big man Jackson Hayes failed to advance to the final round of the Slam Dunk Contest at NBA All-Star Weekend. After a combined score of 91.8 in the first round, Hayes was defeated by Miami Heat wing Keshad Johnson and San Antonio Spurs rookie Carter Bryant for the final dunk-off.

After the end of the Slam Dunk Contest, Jackson Hayes talked about whether or not he would participate in the Slam Dunk Contest again. As the oldest player in this year’s event, he hasn’t completely closed the door on another appearance, although that seems highly unlikely.

Hayes said, “This is my seventh year in the NBA, I’ll be in my eighth next year. You can see these young guys have more legs. I went up for my first dunk, I felt it right in my knees.” “I don’t think so. It was fun to do it and say I did it, but I don’t know. I’m not going to turn down the dunk contest completely, but probably not. I’d rather be in Hawaii right now.”

Each participant received two dunk attempts in the first round, with Hayes’ second attempt looking like it was a better option for him to advance. For his first dunk, he tried to take off from the free-throw line, but it appears he made a jump mistake and ended up flying just inside the line, which was essentially just a fastbreak dunk.

His second dunk really had people out of their seats when he threw the ball in front of him, tossed it in the air from one hand to the other, tossed it back to the other hand between his legs and dunked.

Hayes became the sixth Lakers player to participate in the Dunk Contest, following Michael Cooper, Antonio Harvey, Kobe Bryant, Shannon Brown and Dwight Howard, respectively. Bryant is the only Laker to win the Dunk Contest.

Hayes is really known for his in-game dunks this season, catching a lob from Luka Doncic and throwing down an impressive Eastbay dunk during the Lakers’ win against the Chicago Bulls on January 26.

This is Hayes’ third season with the Lakers after re-signing a one-year contract last offseason. He originally signed with the Lakers as a free agent in 2023 after four seasons with the New Orleans Pelicans.

This year, Hayes has appeared in 45 games, including seven starts, averaging a little over 17 minutes per game. He is averaging 6.9 points, 3.9 rebounds and 1.0 steals while shooting 77.2 percent from the field.


#Jackson #Hayes #Hawaii #entry #hints #future #dunk #contest #plans

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