Hayes: 'I don't think I should've been benched'
Philadelphia Flyers forward Kevin Hayes wasn't shy about expressing his displeasure regarding head coach John Tortorella's decision to make him a healthy scratch Saturday against the New York Rangers.
"I'm never gonna say there's a benefit to being benched. I'm sorry. I don't think I should have been benched, but it's not my decision," Hayes said Monday, per The Athletic's Charlie O'Connor. "He's a coach. I'm a player. He makes the lineup, he wants the best team on the ice to ultimately win, and that's what he went with."
The Flyers lost the game 6-3. They sit second last in the Eastern Conference with a 10-15-7 record.
Hayes leads Philadelphia with 29 points in 31 games this season. He also began his career with the Rangers and spent parts of five seasons in New York.
Tortorella didn't divulge his reasons for benching Hayes.
"That's between Kevin and I," Tortorella said, per NBC's Jordan Hall.
Hayes is in the fourth season of a seven-year contract that carries a $7.14-million cap hit.
He's expected to rejoin the lineup when the Flyers take on the Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday.