Arizona Coyotes’ Barrett Hayton to miss time with lower-body injury

The Arizona Coyotes have been dealt a blow as forward Barrett Hayton is expected to miss some time with a lower-body injury after missing Tuesday’s game against the Minnesota Wild.

The original timeline for Hayton was considered day-to-day, but upon further evaluation, the Coyotes have deemed he will be out longer than anticipated. Hayton last played on March 10th during the Coyotes’ 7-4 loss to the Chicago Blackhawks; he logged two assists and three shots on goal in 16:48 minutes of ice time.

The Peterborough, Ontario product returned to the Yotes’ lineup in February after missing nearly three months with an upper-body injury. Hayton was injured during the Yotes’ 4-3 overtime loss to the Dallas Stars on November 14 after suffering an injury while scoring his second goal of the season. Hayton has compiled three goals and seven assists for 10 points in 33 games this season.

Hayton has spent much of the last couple of seasons as the center on Arizona’s top line with Clayton Keller and Nick Schmaltz on his wings. That line combination ranks among the NHL’s most productive and consistent at driving play. Hayton set career highs with 19 goals and 24 assists for 43 points in 82 games with the Coyotes in the 2022–23 season. The 23-year-old is in the final year of a two-year, $3,550,000 contract extension that carries an average annual value (AAV) of $1,775,000. Hayton will become a restricted free agent with arbitration rights at the end of the season.

Hayton was originally selected No. 5 overall in the 2018 NHL Draft under former general manager John Chayka. Hayton played his junior hockey with the Soo Greyhounds of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and during the 2017-18 campaign, he notched 21 goals and 60 points in 63 games and added 21 points in 24 OHL Playoff contests as the Greyhounds lost in the OHL Final. Hayton earned himself the OHL Scholastic Player of the Year trophy.

Arizona ranks seventh in the Central Division with a 26-34-5 record and 57 points through 65 games.