The Cincinnati Cyclones announced earlier today that the team has signed defenseman Malcolm Hayes for the 2023-24 season.
Malcolm Hayes, 28, began his ECHL career with Kansas City during the 2019-20 season but has spent most of his career with his hometown team in Atlanta, where he posted four assists and 80 penalty minutes across two seasons and 73 games. Outside the ECHL, Hayes has played for three SPHL teams, accumulating a goal and five points in 37 contests.
“I’m ready to jump into this next opportunity that’s been afforded to me in hockey,” said Hayes. “I know opportunity isn’t just given; it’s earned and has to be worked for. I’m thankful to Jason Payne and excited to come to Cincinnati. Getting to play for a team that has a winning reputation is important to me, and I can’t wait to get started.”
“Malcolm approached me a couple seasons back when we were playing against Atlanta,” said Payne. “He immediately struck me as a person of high character, and in our dressing room, the player and the person aren’t mutually exclusive. We try to get the person right first, and Malcolm embodies the qualities we look for in a player. I’m excited to see him in a Cincinnati Cyclones jersey next month.”
Malcolm Hayes began his NCAA hockey career with the University of Maine from 2014 to 2018 before transferring to the University of Alaska Anchorage for the 2018-19 season.
During his career with the University of Maine, he played in 54 games, scoring 4 goals and 3 assists for a total of 7 points. In his one season with the University of Alaska Anchorage, he played in 34 games, scoring 0 goals and 2 assists for a total of 2 points.
After playing collegiate hockey, he played in the SPHL with the Fayetteville Markman (2019-2020), Birmingham Bulls (2020-2021), and Macon Mayhem (2022-2023). He played in 37 games in SPHL and scored 1 goal and 4 assists for a total of 5 points.
