The Pittsburgh Penguins designated forward Kevin Hayes to injured reserve on Friday after he sustained an upper-body injury that will keep him out of the lineup for at least one month, according to a team announcement and reporting from CBS Sports. Hayes, who entered training camp listed as healthy and had been a game-time decision earlier this week, did not play on Thursday and will now begin a recovery timetable that removes him from the active roster.

Coach Mike Sullivan, speaking in a team statement, said the organization will take a cautious approach with Hayes’s rehabilitation. “We want Kevin to get the proper treatment and not rush back,” Sullivan said. “His health is our priority, and we’ll lean on our depth while he recovers.” The team did not provide a specific diagnosis beyond the “upper-body” description, leaving the exact nature of the injury and the recovery protocol to be monitored in the coming weeks.

Hayes’s absence matters on-ice and off. A veteran center who projects to play in the middle six and contribute on both special teams and in puck possession situations, Hayes was expected to provide stability in the faceoff circle and give the Penguins a reliable option in late-game defensive shifts. Without him, Pittsburgh’s coaching staff must reconfigure forward lines and special-teams pairings, likely accelerating opportunities for younger players in the organization and testing depth across the roster.

From a business and roster-management perspective, the IR designation frees an active roster spot for a call-up or acquisition but does not necessarily offer long-term salary-cap relief unless converted to long-term injured reserve. That nuance forces the front office to balance short-term competitive needs with salary-cap prudence, especially for a franchise that has navigated tight cap windows in recent seasons while trying to remain a perennial playoff contender.

The injury also reverberates in the fantasy hockey ecosystem and among season-ticket holders. Hayes’s status had been a variable in early fantasy drafts and weekly lineups; a one-month absence reshuffles value for teammates and AHL prospects who may be summoned to fill his minutes. For fans in the arena and in the community, Hayes has been a visible veteran presence whose leadership will be missed in the locker room and in outreach events tied to the team’s civic initiatives.

Broader trends in the league make this more than an isolated roster blip. The NHL’s increasingly compressed scheduling, evolving player-load management, and heightened attention to injury prevention and recovery mean that midseason absences often have ripple effects on team performance and player career trajectories. For Hayes, a methodical recovery and judicious reintegration will be essential; for the Penguins, the next month will test the organization’s depth, medical staff and strategic flexibility as they try to maintain momentum without a key piece in the middle.