Hyman, Oilers' emotional leader, inspires in the Stanley Cup final

EDMONTON, Alberta – Following the Edmonton Oilers’ victory in the Western Conference championship in Dallas, star center Leon Draisaitl used his phone to video call a friend and teammate: Zach Hyman, who suffered a wrist injury that ended his season.

It took me by surprise. I was crying. It was really emotional. It meant the world to me.
Zach Hyman

Hyman, who will be traveling with the Oilers during the series, offering support and encouragement from the bench, was diagnosed with a dislocated wrist and required surgery following a collision with Mason Marchment in Game 4 against Dallas. He is expected to be ready for the start of the 2025-26 season.

I knew it wasn’t good when I got hit. I immediately felt my wrist move. I quickly realized that this needed surgery, that I couldn’t keep fighting.
Zach Hyman

The Oilers captain, Connor McDavid, was the first to approach Hyman after his injury.

He called me and gave me a hug. That’s when I broke down.
Zach Hyman

From a tactical standpoint, the Oilers will miss Hyman against the Panthers. The player had five goals and six assists in 15 games, playing on Edmonton’s top line with McDavid. His physical presence and ability to generate danger in front of the opposing net were crucial, leading the playoffs with 111 hits. The Oilers’ coach, Kris Knoblauch, has considered options like Corey Perry, Connor Brown, and Viktor Arvidsson to fill Hyman’s position.

We have a lot of players. Those guys collectively are going to try to erase our memories of Zach Hyman.
Kris Knoblauch

Outside the ice, Hyman has been an inspiring figure. After the Oilers’ defeat in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final against the Panthers last season, Hyman stated in the locker room: “I know we’ll be back.”

I really felt that, as a group, after having gone through what we went through last year, I knew we had hunger and fire to get back to this point. Not just to get back, but to win.
Zach Hyman

Now, the Oilers are also looking to win for Hyman.