Oilers plan to activate Zach Hyman this weekend

There is light at the end of the tunnel for Zach Hyman. According to reporter Tony Brar, the Edmonton Oilers will activate Hyman this weekend, and he’ll make his season debut against the Carolina Hurricanes on Sunday.

It’s been a long time coming for Hyman. The former 54-goal scorer has been recovering from wrist surgery since Game 5 of the 2025 Western Conference Final and hasn’t appeared in an NHL contest since May 27.

Despite having a relatively disappointing 2024-25 campaign, it’s safe to say that the Oilers have missed him dearly. Edmonton is tied for 22nd in even-strength goals through their first 18 games of the 2025-26 season, which is wholly unacceptable for a team with the ability to have Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl on the ice at the same time. Of the 81 goals that Hyman has scored over the last two years, 60 of them have been while the Oilers are at even strength.

Still, although Hyman will undoubtedly help Edmonton’s offensive struggles, he shouldn’t be considered a cure-all. The Oilers are 29th in goals against at even strength (42), something that Hyman won’t be able to help with too much. Even though Edmonton’s special teams have been solid to start the year, its even-strength play is why the Oilers begun on an 8-6-4 record and are barely holding onto postseason positioning as we approach Thanksgiving.

He’s a gritty winger and has proven to be a more than capable first-line winger, but Hyman doesn’t have the defensive prowess to really turn things around for the Oilers. There’s no questioning that the team is not one first-line winger away from winning the Stanley Cup, and will need to find a way to procure suitable goaltending before the end of the season if they want to have a realistic opportunity.