Oilers 2024-25 Report Cards: Zach Hyman

As the offseason rolls on, so do the Edmonton Oilers’ player grades. The last report card was given to Mattias Ekholm, and now we turn our attention to the best free agent signing in Oilers history. Zach Hyman signed a seven-year contract with the Oilers in 2021 with a $5.5 million cap hit, and Edmonton is getting great value. He’s coming off an incredible 2023-24 season in which he scored 54 goals and added another 16 in the playoffs. Therefore, it’s understandable that he regressed last season, as it was unrealistic to expect him to replicate those numbers again.

However, he still managed to score 27 goals despite an extremely slow start. He was held pointless through his first seven games and didn’t score his first goal until Oct. 31, his 11th game of the campaign. The 33-year-old only scored three goals through his first 20 games. Then he got hot, scoring 10 goals in his next nine games. Despite his slow start, he still finished second on the team in scoring, only behind Leon Draisaitl’s league-leading 52 goals.

The veteran winger also had a solid postseason until the season-ending injury. He had five goals and 11 points in 15 playoff games and was fifth on the team in goals. However, he lost his spot on the top power-play unit to Corey Perry, so all five goals came at even strength. Hyman was also a physical presence, leading the NHL with 111 postseason hits, despite missing the Stanley Cup Final.

Hyman Had a Devastating Injury

Hyman sustained a dislocated wrist and tore multiple ligaments when he took a hit in Game 4 of the Western Conference Final. He had surgery in early June, which might keep him out to start this season. However, he was interviewed during his sixth annual Zach Hyman Charitable Golf Tournament, and he stated that he hopes to play on opening night. That’s a positive sign because he’s a massive part of that forward group, and his absence is felt throughout the lineup. He was a huge loss, and arguably the fatal blow to Edmonton’s Stanley Cup chances.

Hyman’s Overall Grade

Hyman is one of Edmonton’s most consistent players. Even when he isn’t scoring, his effort, work ethic, and forecheck are still excellent. He can score in bunches, and when he’s hot, the puck finds the twine easily. But when he’s not scoring, he’s still generating quality chances and getting shots on the net. The veteran forward led the league in high-danger scoring chances with 189, 90 more than Connor McDavid, who was second on the Oilers. That’s a large discrepancy and proves that Hyman is always around the net and creating offence, even when he’s not producing. Sometimes he’s snake-bitten, but he’s always noticeable.