Former Hockey Player Jimmy Hayes Dead at 31 Just 3 Months After Welcoming Baby Boy

Professional hockey player Jimmy Hayes has died. He was 31.

The athlete was pronounced dead Monday morning at his home in the Boston suburbs, a law enforcement official told The Boston Globe. While the cause of Hayes' death has not yet been released, it is not being considered suspicious, according to the outlet.

Boston police did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.

His death comes just three months after he and his wife Kristen welcomed a baby, son Mac. The couple also has a two-year-old son Beau.

Hayes was first drafted into the NHL by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2008. He helped the Boston College hockey team emerge victorious in the 2010 NCAA championship, and made his debut in the NHL with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2011.

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"His warm personality made an immediate impact in the locker room and with our fans," the Blackhawks said in a statement. "We're proud of the memories he made in Chicago, including making his NHL debut in 2011."

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Steve Babineau/NHLI via Getty Jimmy Hayes

"Boston College Hockey is heartbroken over the passing of Jimmy Hayes," Boston College wrote in a tweet Monday. "Our thoughts and prayers go out to the entire Hayes family."

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Brian Babineau/NHLI via Getty Jimmy Hayes

Hayes played seven seasons in the NHL, with stints on the Blackhawks, Florida Panthers, New Jersey Devils, and his hometown team the Boston Bruins, where he played from 2015 to 2017.

Bruins captain Patrice Bergeron said in a statement that Hayes was "a joy to be around both on and off the ice."

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Rocky W. Widner/NHL/Getty Jimmy Hayes

"I'll always remember his big smile — he was so positive and full of life," Bergeron continued. "I'm going to really miss that. We've lost a great person."

Hayes last played in the NHL in 2019, and has been hosting a podcast, Missin Curfew, with fellow hockey alums Shane O'Brien and Scottie Upshall.