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Evander Kane's Unfortunate Take on Zach Hyman's Injury Before Oilers-Panthers

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Antonio Losada | Last updated Jun 3, 2025 6:02 AM ET

The Edmonton Oilers are preparing for a rematch with the Florida Panthers in the Stanley Cup Final without one of their most consistent contributors.

Forward Zach Hyman, who suffered an upper-body injury in Game 4 of the Western Conference final, will not return for the remainder of the postseason.

Hyman underwent surgery after a collision with Dallas Stars forward Mason Marchment, and Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch confirmed the news of his expected absence before Edmonton clinched a finals berth in Game 5.

"Zach’s season is most likely done," Knoblauch said. "He’s getting surgery today and it’ll be a while, so we’re not expecting him back for the playoffs."

"It's nice to be feeling good at this time of the year. Really excited to get going on Wednesday... It's fun to be a part of it & not have any question marks."

Evander Kane on being healthy this time around in the Stanley Cup Final.@Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/mKOcdzc7ja
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) June 2, 2025

Hyman had five goals and six assists for 11 points in 15 playoff games and leads the postseason field in hits with 111. During the regular season, he was second in team goals behind only Leon Draisaitl.

The loss leaves a significant gap in Edmonton's lineup, and fellow Oilers forward Evander Kane acknowledged the damage that it will cause.

"He’s a player that’s leading the league in hits in the postseason," Kane said. "He’s physical. He can score.

"And not only does he score, he scores big goals, you know, he scores at clutch times, which obviously is a great asset to any team."

Ultimately, Kane believes that the team’s deep roster gives the Oilers the tools to compete without Hyman.

"We have a lot more depth throughout the entirety of our lineup," Kane said. "If we need scoring, we have scoring. If we need to be more physical, we can be more physical."

Kane, however, closed by noting the unavoidable challenge the team now faces.

"Unfortunately, we’re going to have to use that depth," Kane said. "We’re going to have to get the job done without him."

Game 1 is scheduled for Wednesday in Edmonton, with puck drop set for 8 p.m. ET and the Oilers having home-ice advantage.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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