Edmonton Oilers forward Zach Hyman is expected to miss the remainder of the Stanley Cup playoffs. Coach Kris Knoblauch announced that Hyman will undergo surgery for an upper-body injury sustained in Game 4 against the Dallas Stars.
The injury occurred in the first period of the Oilers` 4-1 victory. Hyman was in the neutral zone and attempted to avoid a hit from Stars forward Mason Marchment. While largely successful in evading the full impact, Marchment made contact with his arms. Hyman`s upper body twisted, and he visibly dropped his stick before leaving the ice in pain. He did not play again in the game.
Since joining the Oilers in 2021, Hyman has been a reliable offensive contributor in the team`s top six forwards. During the regular season, he finished second on the team with 27 goals, and his five goals in the playoffs are tied for fourth among Oilers players.
With Hyman sidelined, the Edmonton roster, already reliant on its top players, will face an even greater test of its depth. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins has already stepped up significantly, delivering four consecutive multi-point games in the Western Conference Final.
Beyond Nugent-Hopkins, Edmonton requires increased offensive output from players such as Evander Kane, who has not scored since Game 4 of the previous series against the Vegas Golden Knights. As anticipated, Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have been outstanding, but they will need additional offensive support with Hyman absent from the top lines.
It remains to be seen if the Stars can capitalize on Hyman`s absence as they attempt to stave off elimination. Dallas boasts arguably the NHL`s deepest forward corps, but this depth has not been evident in the conference final. For example, Mikko Rantanen is still seeking his first goal, Wyatt Johnston is enduring a seven-game point drought, and veteran players like Matt Duchene and Jamie Benn have only managed one goal apiece throughout the entire postseason. For Dallas to mount a comeback in Game 5 and beyond, this offensive production must improve drastically.
