Where Are They Now – Barret Hayton – Arizona Coyotes
The GTHL and the OHL are well known for nurturing many hockey talents. Many of those young players managed to make the ultimate step in joining the NHL.
One of those young talents is Barrett Hayton, a Canadian ice hockey centre currently playing for the Arizona Coyotes in NHL.
Early Years
Hayton was born in Peterborough, Ontario where he first played minor midget hockey with the Peterborough Petes and the Toronto Red Wings. The talented athlete also played for the Upper Canada College team as a student from 2015-2016.
His rise to prominence occurred in the GTHL where he played for the Toronto Red Wings. During his time with the Red Wings, the Peterborough born athlete scored
73 points in 59 game. Those good performances placed Hayton as the 9th overall in the 2016 OHL Priority Selection by the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.
Consequently, he signed for the Greyhounds and launched his major junior career in the 2016–17 season.
During this time with the Greyhounds, Hayton managed to score 27 points in 63 games during his rookie season. 2017-18 was a very successful season for the Canadian athlete. He scored 60 points in 63 games. As a result, Hayton won the Bobby Smith Trophy as the OHL’s Scholastic Player of the Year.
NHL and International Play
Ultimately, Barett Hayton was drafted 5th overall by the Coyotes in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft. He signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Arizona Coyotes. That led him to start the season with the Coyotes, but after two games he went back to the Greyhounds where he was named team captain for the season.
Hayton made his debut for the Coyotes on October, 10th, 2019 in the game against the Golden Knights. The offensive player managed to score his first goal in his third NHL game, on October 25, 2019, which was the game-winning goal.
So far, the Ontario athlete has played 20 games for the Arizona Coyotes and it is one of the brightest talents in the Phoenix-based team.
Hayton played for Canada’s under-20 world junior hockey team for the 2020 IIHF World U20 Championship, held in the Czech Republic from December 26 to January 5. All in all, he has made a total 12 appearances at World Junior U-20 Championships in 2019 and 2020.
Hayton is one of Canada most promising hockey talents. His impact in the NHL is something that many hockey fans in Canada are excited to see. And his time at the GTHL with the Red Wings launched his career and enabled him to reach new heights.
