American hockey player Hayes named the differences between the KHL and the NHL

""Kevin Hayes, former NHL forward "Pittsburgh" and "New York Rangers", spoke on September 21 about the differences between the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) and the National Hockey League (NHL).

According to Hayes, the level of the KHL turned out to be high, and the league itself is characterized by a high speed of play. At the same time, the hockey player noted the difference in the style of the teams.

"If we talk about the difference between the KHL and the NHL, then there is more power struggle in the NHL. In the KHL, more attention is paid to puck control and possession, a lot of cross—gears," Hayes is quoted as saying on the "Ak Bars" website, for which the athlete is currently playing.

"There is no concept of "passing matches" in the KHL right now"

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"Ak Bars" signed a contract with 34-year-old Hayes on August 25. For the last two seasons, the forward has defended the colors of the "Pittsburgh Penguins". In the 2025/26 regular season, he played 28 matches and scored eight points. In total, Hayes played 12 seasons in the NHL, played 861 games and scored 472 (193+279) points.