Oilers Star Forward Admits He Felt 'Helpless' During Stanley Cup Final

One of the Oilers' star forwards was unable to actively participate in helping his team try to capture the Stanley Cup due to injury, so he claims he felt helpless.

After a second-straight Stanley Cup Final loss, once again to their Panthers nemesis, Edmonton Oilers players once more find themselves gathered around, wringing their heads and asking, 'What if?'

What if goaltender Stuart Skinner kept cooking between the pipes? What if their defense was a bit tighter? And, what if Zach Hyman was healthy?

Hyman, with 144 goals in the last four Edmonton seasons, with a career-high 54 in 2023-24, injured his wrist when Dallas' Mason Marchment hurt him during the Western Conference Finals Game 4.

He was surgically treated in early June and never returned to the team's playoff roster.

Physically hurt as he was, Hyman would have been pumped to have worn a Finals jersey above all else. He had 11 points and six goals in 15 playoff games before getting hurt and was tied for the NHL lead last season with 16 playoff goals.

Now in the offseason, the pain still stings, though Hyman thinks his group is better geared to bounce back next season.

'It was hard in the Final not being able to help, you feel helpless,' Hyman told NHL.com's Dave McCarthy. 'It's not common to be watching especially in games like that where you want to be involved.

'I got a feel for it as a manager almost from the top which was not fun. Watching those games was super stressful. When you are playing in it, you are not stressed at all, you're just playing.'

'I think this year was a little different. We will go into this coming year with a little bit more motivation,' Hyman said. 'The first year was pretty heartbreaking, going down 3-0, coming back all the way and then losing a tight one in Game 7. I think this one we will be able to get going right away.'