The Oilers season hasn't started the way many fans have wanted it. The Oilers came out all sorts of sloppy to start their season vs the Vancouver Canucks and found themselves down 3-0 20:39 into their season (down 2-0 after 20:00, and 3-0 0:39 into the 2nd period). Special teams and Jack Campbell (along with a McDavid Hat-Trick) helped propel the Oilers to a 5-3 victory over Vancouver (who has started the season 0-3-2 and blown leads in ALL 5 games). Things didn't get any better for Edmonton in Game 2. Up against their provincial and divisional rivals in Calgary, the Oilers once again came out sloppy and horrid, resulting in the Flames nabbing a quick 4-1 lead (and Jack Campbell being pulled). The Oilers would score 2 to make it close, but the rally would fall short and the Oilers would lose 4-3. Up against the Buffalo Sabres, Edmonton was actually the better team... for 2/3 periods. A sloppy 2nd period allowed the Sabres to nab a 3-1 lead, and Eric Comrie stood on his head as the Oilers would get it to 3-2, before an EN would seal a 4-2 victory for the Sabres. After that Sabres game, there were many concerns about the Oilers that had fans worried, myself included. Some of these concerns range from the goaltending (which I will have none of), defence being weaker (their play has been lacking), but most notably, the forward group, most notably the wingers and how they seem to be below-average.
Up until Thursday's game vs Carolina, the Oilers had scored 10 goals in 3 games played (3.33 GFPG). Here is a breakdown of the goals scored.
Connor McDavid - 4
Darnell Nurse - 2
Cody Ceci - 1
Leon Draisitl - 1
Ryan McLeod - 1
Ryan Nugent - Hopkins - 1
That's 4 centers and 2 defencemen. No wingers to be seen. And before we get technical, yes the Oilers have Nuge playing on the wing, but he's a natural centerman and so that's what I'm listing him as. The other wingers on Edmonton, Evander Kane, Zach Hyman, Jesse Puljujarvi, Dylan Holloway, and Kailer Yamamoto, all had goose-eggs on the board, and all of them looked bad in all areas of the ice...save for one.
Which brings me to Zach Hyman. Zach Hyman's short time with Edmonton has been nothing short of successful thus far. On July 28th 2021 (conveniently, the day I turned 27) Zach Hyman signed a 7 year, $38.5M deal with Edmonton, carrying an AAV of $5.5M/yr. In 76 games with Edmonton last year (his 2nd highest GP in a season), Hyman set career highs in goals (27), assists (27), and points (54). In the playoffs, not only did he go farther with Edmonton than he did with Toronto, he was also a key contributor. In 16 playoff games, Zach scored 11 goals (6 of them coming against Calgary alone) and notched 5 assists for 16 points. Hyman came advertised as a player who's got size, decent hands, and hard work ethic. And it's true. Zach Hyman never took a shift off, never looked lazy or unengaged, and played every shift like it was his last.
Before the Carolina game, Hyman was the only Oilers winger who looked good in all areas of the ice for Edmonton. Sure, guys like Yamamoto, Kane, Puljujarvi, and Holloway (before he got injured) had spurts where they looked good, but Hyman has been the only consistent winger for Edmonton so far. He finally got rewarded by opening the scoring vs Carolina on Thursday night's 6-4 victory and has also bagged three assists for 4 points in 4 games played. He's worked hard, made great defensive zone plays, offensive zone plays, netural zone plays, penalty kill plays, powerplay plays, he's touched all areas of the ice and all in positive ways.
Now that's not to say the other wingers won't play catchup. Like the rest of the team, they've had a sloppy start, but they finally caught some breaks vs Carolina, and performed well. Hopefully this can continue in this afternoon's game vs St. Louis. But from my eyes (as well as everyone elses), Zach Hyman has been Edmonton's best winger by far. And I know, I KNOW, he'll continue to do so.
Love ya Zach!
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