The 2025 version of our Pensburgh Top 25 Under 25 countdown list continues with Soo Greyhounds prospect Travis Hayes, in whom the Penguins are hoping they’ve found a similar prospect to his brother Avery Hayes.
Catch up on the previous entries for this year:
Pensburgh Top 25 Under 25: Graduates and Departed players in 2025
Top 25 Under 25: The best of the rest
#23: Travis Hayes, RW
Age: 17 (Sept. 3, 2007)
Acquired via: 2025 draft (Round 4, No. 105 overall pick)
Height/Weight: 5’11”, 175 pounds
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The Penguins picked up Hayes, the brother of fellow Penguins prospect Avery
Hayes and Chicago Blackhawks prospect Gavin Hayes, in the fourth round of this June’s draft.
Players eligible for the draft have to turn 18 by Sept. 15. Hayes came just shy of the cutoff with a Sept. 3 birthday that made him one of the youngest players available.
The Penguins are hoping to see him further develop as he heads into his third season with the OHL’s Soo Greyhounds, where Dubas previously served as general manager prior to climbing into the NHL ranks.
The Pittsburgh Penguins select Travis Hayes 105th overall! pic.twitter.com/jlRLeU9mPQ
— Elite Prospects (@eliteprospects) June 28, 2025
Hayes ranked fifth in production on the Soo last season with 21 goals and 30 assists for 51 points in 65 regular-season games.
The forward, who will turn 18 in September, averaged 17:23 minutes of ice time while playing both on the power play (1:58 per game) and penalty kill (1:12 per game), per Neutral Zone.
HOUNDS POWER PLAY GOAL
— Soo Greyhounds (@OHLHoundPower) April 1, 2025
TRAVIS HAYES RIPS IT TOP SHELF TO TAKE THE LEAD! pic.twitter.com/HdMeU6n0v6
HOUNDS GOAL
— Soo Greyhounds (@OHLHoundPower) February 13, 2025
Travis Hayes and Carson Andrew connect off the turnover! pic.twitter.com/WfnyaDGFfw
HOUNDS GOAL
— Soo Greyhounds (@OHLHoundPower) October 18, 2024
Travis Hayes finds the back of the net to take the lead in the 1ST! pic.twitter.com/zRoAygBxas
Hayes went on to add three goals in five playoff games during the Soo’s first-round series against the Windsor Spitfires prior to the Greyhounds’ playoff elimination.
The Soo break the ice
— Ontario Hockey League (@OHLHockey) April 2, 2025
Travis Hayes lights the lamp for the first goal of the game and his third goal of the series to put the @OHLHoundPower up 1-0!#OHLPlayoffs | @CHLHockey pic.twitter.com/gQyc5q7kwQ
The EliteProspects 2025 NHL Draft Guide features the following scouting report on Hayes:
“Hayes drives the net, gets inside positioning on defenders, and screens the goalie, battling much larger defenders to do so. When the puck deflects to the back wall, he hunts it down, winning possession back and passing it to teammates. He creates turnovers by getting on the heels of defenders on the forecheck and in the neutral zone, forcing them to rush their plays.”
Soo general manager Kyle Raftis meanwhile said about Hayes, per The Athletic’s Scott Wheeler:
“He gets under the opponents’ skin like crazy, he’s got a great release, he just finds ways to score goals in the blue paint constantly, and he’s got a ton of confidence and belief in his ability. He has been excellent and he’s on the PK, power play and we’ve got a younger team and he wants the puck on his stick in key situations.”
When asked during prospect development to describe his playing style, Hayes answered, “I think I play more like Avery, I would say... his feistiness, and his skill with the puck.”
Hayes went on to reference the Soo’s strong ending to the 2025-26 season, during which the team won nine of 15 games to sneak into a postseason spot.
“Me being an undersized player, being the underdog, that’s what we were in the Soo this year,” Hayes said. “We weren’t expected to make playoffs, and climbing up and getting that playoff spot was really rewarding for the group.”
"They're getting a power forward. A guy that likes to hit guys."
— Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (@WBSPenguins) July 3, 2025
It’s Day 1 of Development Camp, and we caught up with Travis Hayes, recent Pittsburgh draft pick and brother of Penguins forward Avery Hayes ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/3zLxp67v0A
Hayes isn’t the only one who sees his similarities to his brother. One of the first things Dubas said after drafting Travis to join Avery in the organization was that the Pens have “gotta play ‘em on the same line” during this September’s prospects challenge in Buffalo.
A few other members of the Penguins organization have compared the brothers since then.
From vice president of player personnel Wes Clark after the draft:
“Probably not too dissimilar to his brother. He’s super competitive. Hungry. Really good shooter. Loves to score goals. Strong at the net. Underdog mindset. Yeah, like the upside.”
From director of player development Tom Kostopoulos after development camp:
“Yeah, it’s pretty impressive what Avery Hayes did since he signed his AHL contract and he earned the NHL contract. So we’re talking to these kids about coachability, competitiveness and work ethic, and when you think of those things, that’s what Avery Hayes did. And then getting to know his brother, I don’t know how many of you watched him out there, but man, I like the competitiveness, so he seemed to be able to understand what we’re trying to tell him. And then the compete is something that seems to be built into that family’s DNA. So I think we’re going to get along really well.”
Hayes won’t be eligible to play full-time in the AHL until his age-20 season starts in 2027, so he’s set to spend the 2025-26 and 2026-27 seasons developing in the OHL.
“We’ll put everything we have into developing you, and a little bit extra because you play for the Soo and we want you to be great for the Greyhounds,” Dubas told Hayes on his first call after drafting the forward.
Ranking fifth on points on a playoff-bound Greyhounds team is an impressive start for an undersized player who has yet to turn 18.
And after qualifying for the postseason in the final weekend of the 2024-25 OHL season, the Greyhounds are heading into the fall positioned to be one of the OHL’s stronger teams next season.
Brady Martin, who was selected at No. 5 of the 2025 draft by the Nashville Predators, could also be returning to the Greyhounds next season.
Greyhounds coach John Dean described Martin’s chemistry with Hayes as “an unbelievable connection” early last season.
“They work hard for each other. They go to war for each other on the ice and they have a little bit of a sixth sense for each other,” Dean said last November, per Soo Today’s Brad Coccimiglio.
Hayes will hope the chance to get more playing time alongside Martin on a playoff-caliber club, including higher usage on special teams, will help him take the next step toward the next level during his third season in Sault Ste. Marie.
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