The Edmonton Oilers are set to begin the 2025-26 National Hockey League (NHL) season without top line winger, Zach Hyman. The winger underwent wrist surgery stemming from an injury sustained in Game Four against the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference Finals.
Oilers head coach Kris Knoblauch said this earlier this month “Zach will, unfortunately, not be able to join us for our home opener,” He added “We’re thinking, guideline, probably around November 1. So maybe a little bit earlier, maybe a little bit later, but around that timeline.”
Hyman signed with the Oilers as an Unrestricted Free Agent (UFA) in 2021, inking a seven-year $38.5 million for an Annual Average Value (AAV) of $5.5 million. He has since become a key cog of the Oilers offence, playing mostly on a line next to captain Connor McDavid as a puck hound, net crashing winger.
The 33 year old has had a number of significant injuries throughout his nearly decade long NHL career. That is what we will be looking at today.
Hyman's early career
Originally drafted by the Florida Panthers in the fifth round, 123rd overall at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. He spent four years at the University of Michigan, being traded by the Panthers to the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2015 where he signed his two-year entry-level contract (ELC).
Hyman made his NHL debut with the Maple Leafs at the tail end of the 2015-16 season, playing a total of 16 games with the last place club. The following season he made the Leafs out of camp, playing on a line with fellow rookies Auston Matthews and William Nylander.
Ankle sprain
Over the next two seasons, he would have a clean bill of health, playing all 82 games. That is, until the 2018-19 NHL season where Hyman would start to hit some injury struggles, missing multiple weeks due to an ankle sprain. He also missed two games due to a suspension that season.
Torn ACL
His next injury, although would come in the same season, would not impact his regular season, instead he sustained a torn ACL in the Maple Leafs' first-round exit against the Boston Bruins.
He played three games on the injury and had to undergo surgery and a lengthy rehabilitation process afterwards, causing him to miss the beginning of the following 2019-20 season.
MCL sprain
During the 2021 season with the 'North Division' where all Canadian teams played in one division to comply with COVID-19 protocols in Canada. Hyman was in the final year of his contract with the Leafs and was set to become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) that offseason.
Nearing the end of the 56-game regular season, in a game against the Vancouver Canucks, Hyman and veteran defenceman Alex Edler would collide in a serious knee-on-knee collision that caused Edler to face suspension.
Although the original prognosis looked bad, Hyman would only miss the remaining few weeks of the regular season with an MCL sprain, another knee injury.
Wrist injury
In the 2021 offseason, Hyman signed the aforementioned seven-year contract, one that some saw as a risky gamble given his extensive history with serious lower body injuries. Thankfully, Hyman has been relatively healthy throughout his time in Oil country.
In total, he has only missed 20 regular season games over the span of four seasons. The worst has been a bout with Covid and some minor ailments and illnesses that caused him to miss small amounts of time.
That is until Game Four of the Western Conference Finals, where Hyman would sustain a wrist injury, forcing him to have surgery and miss the remainder of the Oilers playoff run, including their second straight Stanley Cup Finals appearance. He also will miss the beginning of this upcoming season and is currently expected to be out until November.
Hyman injury history
There is no doubt that Hyman has suffered through some serious injuries in his NHL career, with multiple knee injuries, as well as an ankle sprain and now his wrist.
The 33 year old still looks to be an impact player for the Oilers and upon his recovery, will likely resume his spot on the top line beside McDavid. He is entering the fifth year on his seven-year contract, which may come as a concern given his history.
However, the theme of his career has been perseverance, he has been a hard working player who went from a fifth round selection to a fifty goal scorer in the NHL. If anybody can overcome a few injuries, it is Zach Hyman.