Blackhawks winger John Hayden is technically on spring break from Yale, so he could be lying on a beach somewhere, drink in hand, checking out the sights of some exotic location.
But while his classmates take a respite from their studies, Hayden decided to get an early start on his postgraduate career. Hayden hasn't spent his break with sand under his feet. He opted for ice. NHL ice, to be specific.
Hayden signed a two-year deal with the Hawks less than two weeks ago and has enjoyed an auspicious start with a goal and two assists in his first four games.
But after this week, when spring break ends, Hayden will have to balance his remaining classwork with the demands of an NHL player as he attempts to stick in the Hawks rotation. His classes include a seminar on terrorism as he works to complete his degree in political science.
"It's a little time off of school, but I'll start writing essays in a bit," Hayden said. "I front-loaded my schedule, so fall was pretty busy, but I'll handle it."
To say Hayden's life is a whirlwind would be underselling it. Just a few weeks ago, Hayden, a third-round pick of the Hawks in 2013, was wrapping up his college season at Yale. Now the 22-year-old is playing on a line in the NHL with Jonathan Toews while trying to graduate from one of the most academically demanding universities in the country.
"It's so special once you're here and everything materializes," Hayden said.
It's a crucial moment in Hayden's career, but one he and his college coach, Keith Allain, have spent months preparing for.
"I would say since Jan. 1, we've had 10 meetings about what the next step would be like, what he had to do when our season ended and he was ready to sign," Allain said. "He's really thought about the next step and what he needed to do to be successful. He's done everything he could do in preparation for that. I think it has made the transition for that a little bit easier.
"He's a young man who's living out his dream."
He's also a young man with roots in the Chicago area. His mother, Diana, is from Chicago and his grandfather still lives here, but Hayden grew up in Greenwich, Conn. At Yale, Allain called him "the best captain I've had" since Allain took the job in 2006 and said Hayden's desire to keep adding to his game helped turn him into an NHL-ready player.
Allain said just because a player attends Yale doesn't mean his book smarts will translate to hockey smarts, but Hayden's mental makeup is a benefit on the ice. It should help Hayden adjust to the Hawks' style of play, which isn't always easy for newcomers to grasp.
"What does translate is the discipline, the level of preparation required to be successful academically and hockey-wise," Allain said. "John possesses those traits in spades. That's what has helped him make the adjustment. This kid, he has prepared like a professional athlete for the last four years. So adjusting to the pro game, that way was a natural progression for him."
At 6-foot-3 and 223 pounds, Hayden is a physical presence on the ice. During his first NHL shift last week in Ottawa, he pinned an opponent against the boards to initiate a puck battle. Hayden has also shown a propensity to make skill plays as well. His first goal came on deft play on which he transferred a Toews pass from his skate to his stick in one motion and then scored. And Tuesday against the Canucks, Hayden appeared to score the tying goal in the third period before a replay review wiped it out.
It looks as if Hayden is getting accustomed to his new surroundings just fine. His teammates, he said, have been more than helpful. When asked the best piece of advice he received, he answered: "How much time do you have? Seriously."
For Allain, it has been surreal watching Hayden go from Yale to playing for one of the best teams in the NHL.
"We sit there and watch games, and my wife said, 'Can you believe that he was getting off a bus in New Haven 10 days ago and now he's out there doing it?' " Allain said. "If he sits back and pinches himself, I'm sure he has to go, 'Holy smokes, this is pretty special.' "
Hayden keeps himself grounded by remembering something defenseman Duncan Keith told him when he joined the roster.
"After one of the practices, (Keith) told me to just settle down and enjoy it," Hayden said.
It's prudent advice given that two of the biggest moments of Hayden's life are just around the corner _ graduation from Yale and the Stanley Cup playoffs.
