Former NHL forward Jimmy Hayes dies at 31

Former NHL forward Jimmy Hayes has died, the Boston College men's hockey program announced Monday. He was 31.

No cause of death was immediately given.

Hayes, a Boston native, played for Boston College from 2008-2011 and was a member of the 2010 NCAA championship squad.

“Boston College Hockey is heartbroken over the passing of Jimmy Hayes,” Boston College said in its statement. “Our thoughts and prayers go out to the entire Hayes family.”

The Toronto Maple Leafs selected Hayes in the second round of the 2008 NHL draft and then traded him to the Chicago Blackhawks in June 2010. He debuted with Chicago in December 2011, but his best years came with the Florida Panthers (2013-15) and his hometown Bruins (2015-17).

He played 33 games for the New Jersey Devils in 2017-18 before spending 2018-19 with the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. He scored a total of 54 goals and 109 points in his NHL career.

The Boston Globe reported authorities responded to Hayes' Milton, Massachusetts, home, where he was pronounced dead. USA TODAY's messages to the Milton Police and Fire Departments have not been immediately returned.

Hayes had two sons, ages 2 and 3 months, with his wife Kristen.

Hayes comes from a big hockey family. His brother, Kevin, plays for the Philadelphia Flyers and his cousin Tom Fitzgerald is currently the Devils' general manager.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Jimmy Hayes dies at 31: Former NHL forward played for four teams