Barrett Hayton: Draft Bust – Or Potential Top-Six Forward – Hockey Writers – Utah Hockey Club

When a player is selected fifth overall in the 2018 NHL Draft, he should be a highly skilled contributor to his team. Barrett Hayton will be entering his sixth NHL season, and he hopes he can shake off the injuries that have plagued him. Missing 71 games over the past three seasons didn't help.

He has yet to prove himself offensively, with just 35 goals and 49 assists in 209 NHL games. It's not that he's not getting ice time or playing in the bottom six. He tied Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz in most of his games, who are top players. He gets offensive opportunities with his teammates, but he hasn't contributed offensively for some reason.

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However, he recently received a new contract, extending his tenure by two years at an average annual salary of $2.65 million. For his purposes, this contract renewal can be seen as an opportunity to show what he can do. It will also take him until he is 26, when he will be close to the age of being an unrestricted free agent.

Whether he will remain on the Utah Hockey Club's top line will undoubtedly depend on his production over the next few 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 forwards helped his offensive numbers. Kerfoot managed to tally a career-high 45 points in the 2023-24 season.

When the Coyotes selected Hayton with their fifth overall pick, many thought they would select 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

However, the general manager at the time John Chayka saw something in Hayton and decided to replace him. Chayka could have chosen Quinn Hughes instead, who went seventh overall to the Vancouver Canucks. That would have been a real game changer for the Coyotes. Of course, in Chayka's defense, Hughes was considered “too young” to play in the NHL. That theory has been disproved.

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 Time To Break The Bust Definition

Nothing silences criticism better than producing results, so Hayton must do just that this season. If not, he may be relegated to the bottom six until he gets it all together. He has great skill and is a two-way player who is not afraid to defend.

So, what's in store for Hayton? According to his coach, he has a bright future in the team if he can stay healthy. For that to happen, Hayton needs to work on his diet and game play. Are you taking too many dangerous hits that could cause injury? Or are you just having bad luck? Maybe a bit of both.

Another thing that will enrich his game is the way he finishes playing. He doesn't lack for scoring opportunities, but he doesn't seem to be able to finish games when he gets open. That can be solved by practicing and working with coaches and teammates. You are talented. Now, he should present it as a scorecard.

If Hayton Fails, He Could Be Trade Bait

It should be noted that the organization has been very patient with Hayton's development. They selected him with the top pick, and it's time for him to show improvement in his game. In comparison, Keller's development fell short of expectations, and he was selected seventh overall in 2016. He totaled 65 points in 82 games in 2017-18, but fell to just 47 points and 44 points in the following two seasons.

Keller suffered a serious leg injury in March, 2022 when he crashed into the boards and shattered his femur. He had a miraculous recovery with a lot of hard work from that injury. He has 70 goals and 92 assists over the past two campaigns and is the team's leading scorer.

If Hayton can replicate Keller's success, he'll avoid any trade talk that might start if he doesn't produce. Most NHL teams are always looking for centers, and if Hayton wants to stay there, he knows the pressure will be on him during his new contract.