When
Eriah Hayes arrived in Topeka in 2007, he was a celebrated multi-sport
athlete in his hometown of La Crescent, MN, who was just beginning the
journey that would lead him to sign a contract with the San Jose Sharks.
Head
Coach Scott Langer knew he had something special in Hayes who, at 6’3”
and 210 lbs, was a formidable presence on the ice. “Eriah was a big
power forward and a first-class athlete,” recalled Langer of Hayes’ time
in Topeka. “Extremely hard working, he started out as an
in-and-out-of-the-lineup player and worked his way up. The fact that
he’s signing at age 25 is a testament to his persistence, perseverance
and drive to constantly improve his game. From Day One, there was never a
question that Eriah had all the tools to play in the NHL.”
In
his lonely season as a RoadRunner (2007-2008), Hayes amassed 30 goals,
26 assists, 10 postseason points and averaged over a point-per-game. He
played on the “Grey Battalion” line with future Division I recruits
Steve Shafer (Canisius) and Bryan Paulazzo (Miami-Ohio).
The
following season, Hayes was drafted by the USHL’s Waterloo Black Hawks
where he posted 27 goals along with 18 assists. For college, Hayes chose
Minnesota State-Mankato where he eventually earned the title of captain
in his senior year. Over time, he attracted the attention of NHL scouts
and was twice invited to attend Chicago Black Hawks Prospect Camps. Now
he has signed a two-year, two-way deal with the San Jose Sharks of the
National Hockey League. Eriah Hayes is the third RoadRunner to sign a
NHL contract, following Joel Rechlicz (now with Washington) and Cole
Schneider (Ottawa).
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