While playing, Lindy Ruff announced sad news concerning the death of his best …

While playing, Lindy Ruff announced sad news concerning the death of his best …

Jimmy Hayes, a former forward for the New Jersey Devils, passed away two months ago, and his family now knows why. According to the Boston Globe:

Two days after his death, Hayes was given an autopsy; nevertheless, it wasn’t until Friday, while traveling to New Jersey for the Blackhawks-Devils game, that his family found out the cause of death. At that point, Kristen Hayes received the toxicology result from the state medical examiner for Massachusetts, which stated that “acute intoxication due to the combined effects of fentanyl and cocaine” was the cause of death.

Jimmy Hayes “died with fentanyl and cocaine in his system,” according to information released on Sunday by his father, Kevin, and wife, Kristen.

“I was really taken aback,” Kristen remarked. “I was positive that drugs had no role in it. I honestly believed that it was a heart attack or anything else unrelated to the medicines. He never displayed any indications of difficulty at home.

The former addict Kevin Hayes disclosed that he had warning indications from Jimmy prior to his demise.

I went to Jimmy when I saw a slight shift in his conduct about 16 or 17 months ago and told him I thought there might be a problem with the drugs. Three weeks later, he told me over the phone, “Dad, I’m hooked on these pills.” After becoming hurt, I began taking them and never stopped.

After spending three seasons at Boston College, Hayes was selected in the second round by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2008. In 2011–12, he made his NHL debut with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Hayes spent two seasons with the Florida Panthers before signing with the Boston Bruins, prior to playing for the Devils.

The 2018–19 NHL season marked the conclusion of Hayes’ NHL career. For that season, he signed a one-year deal with the Pittsburgh Penguins, but he played the whole season in the AHL.