Zach Hyman’s return to the Edmonton Oilers lineup is drawing closer — even if it’s not quite as soon as hoped.
Initially eligible to come off long-term injured reserve this weekend – Nov. 1 to be exact – Hyman will remain out at least another week, per head coach Kris Knoblauch. Still, both the player and coach made it clear that the veteran left winger is nearly ready to go.
“I feel really good… really close,” Hyman said following practice at Rogers Place on Oct. 29. He wants to play, but added. “At the end of the day, the doctors are the ones there to protect you from yourself.”
Knoblauch was asked when he predicted Hyman would be back. The Oilers coach responded, “He looks ready to go. I want to put him in… I don’t think it’s fair.”
With the when out of the way, the where becomes the big question.
Finding the Right Fit for Hyman
The obvious choice is reuniting Hyman with center Connor McDavid, a pairing that has proven chemistry time and again. There’s a level of trust between these two players that arguably no two others on the Oilers have, outside of maybe McDavid and center Leon Draisaitl.
That would provide Edmonton with its familiar top-line punch, requiring only that the team find a good third option to play with them. That means either center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins or left winger Andrew Mangiapane stays.
There are arguments for and against both players. Nugent-Hopkins has played well with McDavid before, but he’s arguably better suited as a center.
In addition, Mangiapane is a natural winger, but he hasn’t found his groove with McDavid on that top line.
Still, the first and second lines would be set, with Draisaitl anchoring the second unit alongside right winger Jack Roslovic and left winger Vasily Podkolzin, who have found some chemistry.
Knoblauch has been seeking greater consistency. “Putting people in the right chairs” has been his mantra, and Hyman’s return could finally help solidify a rotation that’s changed far too often early in the season.
The Domino Effect
Of course, adding Hyman back into the mix means someone else comes out. Players like right winger David Tomasek and center Noah Philp could find themselves on the outside looking in as the roster tightens up.
Perhaps the Oilers demote youngsters Ike Howard or Matt Savoie, since both can go down and are waiver-exempt. When right winger Kasperi Kapanen and left winger Mattias Janmark return, the decisions get even more difficult.
There isn’t an easy choice to be made here, but that’s a good problem to have.
Hyman’s return changes the way the Oilers feel from top to bottom. If Edmonton can stabilize its lines and build continuity, a November surge might not be far off.
Is Zach Hyman Really That Important? Oilers’ Month-Long Audition Says Yes
Nearly a month in, the Oilers still scramble for answers on McDavid’s wing.
When Hyman does rejoin the lineup, his impact will be immediate. Coming off a bit of a down year, he’s not far removed from a 54-goal campaign in 2022-23. He brings a different style to the team – a mix of skill, tenacity, and forechecking energy that can transform any line he’s on.
The challenge for Knoblauch will be where exactly to put him. That said, maybe it’s not a tough call at all. It’s the decisions around Hyman and with other players that feel a bit more complicated.
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