NHL player Jimmy Hayes' widow speaks out on his cause of death: 'I was completely shocked'

Jimmy Hayes suddenly died Aug. 23, and until Sunday (Oct. 17), the 31-year-old former NHL player's cause of death was anybody's guess.

It has been confirmed by several outlets, including NBC Boston and People, that Hayes died from "acute intoxication" with cocaine and fentanyl detected in his system. The manner of his death was ruled accidental.

According to The Boston Globe, the Hayes family was made aware of the autopsy results Friday.

"I was completely shocked," Kristen Hayes, Jimmy's widow, told the Globe. "I was so certain that it had nothing to do with drugs. I really thought it was a heart attack or anything that wasn’t that [drugs]. ... It didn’t make any sense, so it was hard. I was hoping to get a different phone call when they called. I was hoping to get some clarity and I was shocked to hear that it was that. ... He never showed any signs of a struggle at home."

Jimmy's father, Kevin Hayes, added: 

"I’m an addict myself. I’m sober a long, long time, but I know how powerful this stuff is. I was in shock when it happened, but then I started putting stuff together in my head. ... I know what addiction does. I know about addiction.
"About maybe 16 or 17 months ago, I saw a little change in Jimmy’s behavior and I went to him and I said, 'I think there might be a problem here with pills.' He had had an injury for a while and I think he started taking the painkillers and they get you.
"I said, ‘Jim, I think I see a problem here.’ And he’s 31 years old so I can’t tell him to go get help. So I said, ‘When you want help, I’ll be here for you, pal. Let me know.’
"He called me three weeks later and said, ‘Dad, I’m hooked on these pills. I got injured and I started taking them and I never got off.’ And I said, ‘Well, let’s get you some help.’ He went to a place up in Haverhill. So he gets help and everything was on the path to recovery, I thought. But this [expletive] is so powerful."

Kevin also said he hopes "getting Jimmy's story out there can save someone's life."

Hayes played for the Chicago Blackhawks (2011-13), Florida Panthers (2013-15), Boston Bruins (2015-17) and New Jersey Devils (2017-18) throughout his NHL playing career.

The Dorchester, Massachusetts, native had two sons—two-year-old Beau and five-month-old Mac—with Kristen, his wife of three-plus years. Beau's second birthday was celebrated the day before Jimmy's death.