Springfield, Massachusetts …American Hockey League announced today Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins forward Avery Hayes has been selected as Howies Hockey Video/AHL Player of the Week Period ending February 8, 2026.
Hayes scored four goals in two games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last week, including two game-winning goals, while making a memorable NHL debut.
Hayes led the Penguins to a 4-1 victory over Hershey on Wednesday night, scoring the go-ahead goal with 12:05 left in regulation. On Thursday, he was notified to join the Pittsburgh Penguins and became the seventh player in NHL history to score two goals in the first quarter of his NHL debut, leading the team to a 5-2 victory over Buffalo. Avery returned to Wilkes-Barre on Saturday and had his first career hat trick, scoring the game-winning goal in a 4-3 overtime win over Hershey.
The 2025-26 season is the third season of Hayes' career. He contributed 16 goals and 10 assists and scored 26 points in 32 games for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. The 23-year-old from Westland, Mich., has played in 121 career AHL games with the Penguins, totaling 45 goals and 32 assists for 77 points. A two-time champion of the Ontario Hockey League, Hayes began his career with an AHL contract before signing with Pittsburgh as a free agent on March 13, 2025.
