A viral clip of Zach Hyman has fans split between calling out blatant embellishment and giving him credit for helping sell a silly crosschecking penalty by Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Sean Walker.
After what some are calling a relatively light tap from Walker—a follow-up bump from behind while Hyman was on the ice —Hyman went sliding, appearing to be in significant pain. Once officials whistled Walker for a penalty, Hyman looked up at his own bench (or at Walker), flashed a smile, and winked, essentially confirming he had gotten away with drawing a call.
What Was Hyman Really Doing?
Hyman could have been trolling Walker—who was livid and going after him because he believed the Oilers forward was diving. At the same time, many believe it was a penalty. Walker should have known better than to hit Hyman (regardless of how hard) in that position. It also could have been that Hyman was faking the entire time, knowing that power play after power play was working for the Oilers in their shootout win over the Hurricanes.
The moment quickly made the rounds online, with reactions split down the middle. Some fans expressed frustration with the officiating, arguing that embellishment of this nature undermines the integrity of the game and shouldn’t go unpunished. One commenter predicted Hyman could face consequences down the line, suggesting officials may start viewing his on-ice reactions with more skepticism going forward.
Others leaned fully into the entertainment value of it all, with one fan calling him the “funniest man alive” for pulling it off so unapologetically.
Walker Got Caught
While the embellishment drew plenty of attention, Walker’s penalty didn’t go unnoticed. That’s on the defenseman. Replay showed Walker cross-checking Hyman from behind while Hyman was already down on the ice, seemingly reacting out of frustration from an earlier hit. In a tied game where Walker’s team had already struggled badly on the penalty kill, allowing three power-play goals already, taking an undisciplined penalty in that spot only compounded the risk.
The Oilers have been red hot on the power play since Hyman’s return. Jason Gregor of Sports 1440 wrote, “It was 21.7% prior to Hyman returning. And in last two games it went 4-for6 and is now at 31%. I’d say he has helped it.”
Was Hyman Faking and the Cameras Caught It?
Whether fans side with Hyman’s theatrics or Walker’s frustration, the clip has become one of the more talked-about moments from an early Game of the Year candidate. That matchup had a little bit of everything, including five-point performances from Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl. It felt like playoff hockey, not the kind of game you would see in late October.
Hyman was a big part of the Oilers’ comeback after they went down two goals at the end of the second. Was he diving? Or did he just make sure the officials saw a silly penalty from Walker that the Carolina Hurricanes defenseman never should have taken?
Oilers’ Zach Hyman Caught on Camera, His Reaction Has Hockey World Split