In the 2025 Western Conference Finals, the Edmonton Oilers lost Zach Hyman to injury. Hyman injured his wrist against the Dallas Stars in Game 4. It was a huge blow to the team, even though they defeated the Stars in five games.
Hyman brought the bulk of their physical edge in the postseason. He recorded 111 hits in the 2025 postseason, which set a new franchise record. He did this while playing in just 15 playoff games. The goals did not come as they did in 2023-24, but he still had a massive impact on Edmonton’s success.
His abscence was felt in the Stanley Cup Final. Edmonton once again faced the Florida Panthers. And once again, they fell in the Final. This time, Florida won the series in six games. It seemed close for the first two games, but Florida had control of the series from then on.
The Oilers hoped to have Hyman back in the lineup to open the upcoming season. Unfortunately, this will not happen. Edmonton head coach Kris Knoblauch recently said the former 50+ goal scorer could be out until November.
“Zach will, unfortunately, not be able to join us for our home opener,” Knoblauch said Thursday, via NHL.com. “We’re thinking, guideline, probably around November 1. So maybe a little bit earlier, maybe a little bit later, but around that timeline.”
Zach Hyman Reflects On Missing Stanley Cup Final
Michael Reaves/Getty ImagesThe Edmonton Oilers struggled in the Stanley Cup Final without Zach Hyman.
As mentioned, the Oilers did not do well without Hyman in the lineup. Edmonton certainly missed his physical presence. Young forward Vasily Podkolzin did his best to replicate it. But in the end, it wasn’t enough.
More than this, they also missed the goals he used to provide. Hyman had an overall down season for the Oilers in 2024-25. But he did provide five goals in 15 games for the Oilers in the postseason. He finished tied for fifth among Edmonton skaters for playoff goals in 2025 despite his injury.
Hyman certainly wouldn’t have single-handedly won them the series. However, he would have given them a better chance. The veteran forward spoke about what it was like to watch his team from the press box in the most important series of the season.
“For me, I pretty much knew immediately that my season was over. You kind of flip your focus just to try to help the team in a different way, an emotional support way, and just being around the guys and being positive. But when it happened, it was very, very disheartening,” Hyman said, via NHL.com.
Oilers Depth Must Step Up Without Hyman
Edmonton has to rework its lineup in a big way without Hyman in the lineup. Despite his down season, he still played alongside Connor McDavid for much of the season. His physical presence helped create space for the Edmonton captain to work his magic.
Without Hyman, the first line is different. There are a few different players who could occupy the role. In the team’s first practice, it was 29-year-old David Tomasek who skated on McDavid’s wing. Whether this is the case heading into the season obviously remains to be seen.
The Oilers need to help cover for the loss of Hyman in the early going of the season. If they don’t, they could be stuck catching up once again. They have experience rebounding from slow starts, but this is something they won’t want to become a habit.
The Oilers begin their 2025-26 campaign with another edition of the Battle of Alberta against the Calgary Flames on October 8th.
Edmonton Oilers Provide Unfortunate Zach Hyman Injury Update