When a player is selected fifth overall in the 2018 NHL Draft, he should be a top-skilled contributor to his team. Barrett Hayton will be entering his sixth NHL season, and he is hoping he can shake the injuries that have plagued him. Having missed 71 games in the past three seasons has not helped him.
He has yet to show much offensively, with just 35 goals and 49 assists in 209 NHL games. It’s not that he isn’t getting ice time or playing in the bottom six. He has lined up with Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz for many of his games, who are top performers. He gets offensive chances with linemates like that, but he has not contributed much offensively for some reason.
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However, he recently received a new contract, extending his tenure for two years at a $2.65 million average annual value. For his purposes, this contract renewal can be viewed as a chance to show what he can do. It will also take him to the age of 26, when he will be near the age of being able to become an unrestricted free agent.
Whether he will remain on the top line for the Utah Hockey Club will undoubtedly depend on his production during the following seasons. The Arizona Coyotes used Alex Kerfoot to fill in at times on the top line last season, and his production showed that playing with two premier scorers helped his offensive numbers. Kerfoot was able to tally a career-high 45 points during the 2023-24 season.
When the Coyotes selected Hayton with their fifth-overall selection, many thought they would choose Filip Zadina instead. He scored 44 goals in 57 games and led QMJHL rookies with 82 points for Halifax in 2016-17.
Barrett Hayton Was a Surprise Draft Pick in 2018
Yet, then-general manager John Chayka saw something in Hayton and decided to select him instead. Chayka could have selected Quinn Hughes instead, who went at seventh overall to the Vancouver Canucks. That could have been a real game-changer for the Coyotes. Of course, in Chayka’s defense, Hughes was considered “too small” to play in the NHL. That theory has been disproven.
Head coach Andre Tourigny thinks Hayton has a future with the team, a topic he touches on in the video below.
Hayton Must Produce This Season to Break the Bust Description
Nothing silences criticism better than producing results, so Hayton must do that this season. If not, he could be demoted to the bottom six until and unless he gets it all together. He has great potential and is a two-way player who is not afraid of defending.
So, what expectations can be forthcoming for Hayton? According to his head coach, he has a bright future with the team if he can stay healthy. For that to happen, Hayton needs to work on his nutrition and gameplay. Is he taking too many high-risk hits that can cause injuries? Or is he just experiencing some bad luck? Perhaps a bit of both.
The other factor that will enrich his play is how he finishes plays. He has had no shortage of scoring opportunities, but he seems unable to finish off plays when the chances arise. That could be resolved through practice and working with the coaches and teammates. He has the ability. Now, he must present it as scoring statistics.
If Hayton Fails, He Could Become Trade Bait
It must be recognized that the organization has been more than patient with Hayton’s development. They selected him with a high pick, and it’s about time he showed some advancement in his play. For comparison, Keller’s development lagged below expectations, and he was selected seventh in 2016. He tallied 65 points in 82 games in 2017-18, but then fell to just 47 points and 44 points the following two seasons.
Keller had a devastating leg injury in March, 2022 when he crashed into the boards and shattered his femur. He has been lights out in a miraculous recovery and plenty of hard work since that injury. He has contributed 70 goals and 92 assists the last two campaigns and has become the team’s scoring leader.
If Hayton can duplicate Keller’s success, he will avoid any potential trade talk that may begin if he doesn’t produce. Most NHL teams are always on the lookout for centers, and if Hayton wants to stay put, he knows the pressure will be on him for the duration of his new contract.
