Injured Hyman 'big reason' for Oilers to win Final against Panthers

EDMONTON -- Zach Hyman burst into tears.

He was sitting at home with his wife last Thursday, watching Game 5 of the Western Conference Final between his Edmonton Oilers and Dallas Stars from Texas, his season over because of a dislocated right wrist.

While coping with the realization that he no longer could help his teammates on the ice in their Stanley Cup dream, he got a call after the Oilers punched their ticket to a second straight Cup Final with a 6-3 victory.

It was a FaceTime from teammates Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in the victorious dressing room in Dallas. As part of their celebrations, they wanted him to know how much he still was part of the team, even though he would not be able to play for the remainder of their Stanley Cup Playoff run.

"It caught me off guard," Hyman said Wednesday morning, hours before Game 1 of the Cup Final at Rogers Place (8 p.m. ET; TNT, truTV, MAX, CBC, SN, TVAS). "I was crying. It was really emotional.

"You just feel so much a part of the team. And for them to do that in that moment meant a lot."

Just like the veteran forward means to them.

As such, the 31-year-old confirmed that he will be travelling to Florida for Games 3, 4 and 6 (if necessary) at Amerant Bank Arena to offer support for his teammates.

It was at that same rink last June 24 when, after their crushing 2-1 loss in Game 7 of the Final, Hyman told his teammates that they would be back in 2025. Now they are. Except he can't play.

"Life has a funny way of working," he said. "I truly felt that, having gone through what we went through last year and in that moment, I knew most of our guys were coming back. And I knew we had a hunger and fire to get back to this point not just to get back but to win."

Through the first two-and-a-half rounds of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final, Hyman was significantly contributing to that goal.

Entering Game 4 against the Stars on May 27, Hyman was leading the NHL with 109 hits in 14 games during the playoffs, 27 more than the 82 by second-place Sam Bennett of the Panthers. He had two hits in Game 4 against Dallas, giving him 111, which is 15 fewer than the all-time mark of 126 for a single playoff season set by Blake Coleman with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020.

Unfortunately, his pursuit ended early in the first period of the Oilers' 4-1 victory at Rogers Place during an innocent collision with Stars forward Mason Marchment. He immediately dropped his stick and bolted to the Edmonton dressing room, fearing a worst-case scenario that was quickly confirmed by team physicians.

During the intermission, McDavid came over to console him.

"He called me over and gave me a big hug," Hyman said. "Honestly, I broke down.

"Ya, it meant a lot."

The following day, while his teammates were flying to Dallas for Game 5, he underwent surgery at an Edmonton hospital. The following day, he watched them beat the Stars to punch their ticket to a second consecutive battle for the Cup with the Panthers.

Since then, his teammates have continued rallying in their support for him.

"It's there. It's a big reason for us to win for him, with him not being able to play," forward Adam Henrique said. "This is all you want, is to play in this moment. Obviously, he was there last year but he's not going to be there this year.

"Missing him is big. He's a huge piece of this team. His physicality. His net-front presence. In the locker room. All those types of things.

"He's a great person and we're going to miss him on the ice. But he'll be there. And we're certainly going to fight for him on the ice."

Hyman has become part of the fabric of the Edmonton community and has embraced living and playing here since signing a seven-year, $38.5 million ($5.5 million average annual value) contract with the Oilers on July 28, 2021, after playing his first six NHL seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs.

Coming off a career-high 54-goal season in 2023-24, he had 27 this season while battling a variety of injuries. But he was healthy for the start of the playoffs, and his intense physical play on the forecheck was symbolized by the number of hits he was accruing.

Until he got hurt.

In the ensuing days, he was swamped with messages from well-wishers, which he acknowledged on Instagram on Monday.

"An emotional week, but I'm grateful to be back in the SCF," Hyman wrote. "Thank you to everyone who reached out and showed support, it truly means a lot.

"I can't wait to support the boys in every way I can."

They wouldn't have it any other way.