Forward John Hayden has been recalled by the Seattle Kraken from the Coachella Valley Firebirds on Monday evening.
Hayden, 28, is in line to make his season debut with the Kraken after a successful season in the AHL last year, a 17-goal campaign that led to ten games in Coachella Valley's run that stopped one win shy of a Calder Cup title. In between, Hayden was due to become an important role player on a Kraken team bound for the Stanley Cup Playoffs. But Hayden, a physical forward who had two goals in seven games, injured his ankle in a fight with Edmonton's Klim Kostin last March, buckling awkwardly to the ice.
Hayden would need surgery, and would miss the entire Kraken postseason.
His recall is imperative in the absence of Matty Beniers, placed on injured reserve on Monday after a 3-0 Kraken loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Hayden, who has 247 games in the NHL with Chicago, Buffalo, New Jersey, Arizona and Seattle, has 33 games with ten points this season in Coachella Valley.
The Kraken will visit the New York Rangers on Tuesday, 4pm PT (93.3 KJR-FM / Kraken Audio Network) at Madison Square Garden.