Sports fans across the continent and around the world were glued to their screens Wednesday (May 8), watching some of the biggest names in hockey and basketball during the NHL and NBA Playoffs.
Connor McDavid. Leon Draisaitl. Quinn Hughes. J.T. Miller. Jalen Brunson. Tyrese Haliburton. Pascal Siakam. It was a smorgasbord of MVPs and All-Stars in each sport, but only one player was the star of both: Edmonton Oilers winger Zach Hyman. Or, as the world has come to know him, “Shaq” Hyman.
In the opening contest of the best-of-seven second round series between the Oilers and Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena, Hyman had his third multi-goal game this postseason. Meanwhile, during TNT’s coverage of Game 2 between the New York Knicks and Indiana Pacers, he got a shoutout from NBA legend Shaquille (“Shaq”) O’Neal.
Hyman Sends Gifts to O’Neal
The Oilers forward sent O’Neal an autographed stick and a No. 18 Oilers jersey that Hyman signed, “To Shaq, thanks for all the support.” On Wednesday, the basketball Hall of Famer was presented with the items during Inside the NBA, TNT’s massively popular post-game show. “Zach, I love you brother,” said O’Neal, who serves as a studio analyst.
The sweater and stick were tokens of respect for the 7-foot-1, 325-pound O’Neal, who has become Hyman’s unlikely kindred spirit. While he’s a foot shorter and well over 100 pounds lighter than O’Neal, Hyman is in many respects the NHL equivalent of the basketball centre.
The Origin of Hyman’s Nickname
Hyman was first bestowed the nickname “Shaq” almost a decade ago when he was playing for the Toronto Marlies in the American Hockey League. His coach with the Marlies at that time, Sheldon Keefe, explained that, “we called him ‘Shaq Hyman’ for a reason, because he got to the paint more and better than anybody.”
O’Neal, who was an MVP and a 15-time All-Star over 19 seasons in the NBA, is perhaps the greatest inside scorer in basketball history. A sheer force of nature blessed with both size and athleticism, he was unstoppable when he got the ball down low.
Hyman Dominating Like O’Neal
Hyman put up Shaq-like numbers in 2023-24, scoring 54 times as he became the only player other than Draisaitl or McDavid with a 50-goal season for the Oilers since the 1980s. And he was just getting warmed up.
Related: 4 Current Oilers Stars Who Matched 4 Legends’ Stats vs. Kings
In Round 1 of the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs, Hyman scored seven times to lead Edmonton to a 4-1 victory over the Los Angeles Kings. He then opened Round 2 with two goals against the Canucks on Wednesday.
With nine goals, Hyman has tied Mark Messier for the most by an Oilers player in the first six games of a postseason. He is also tied for most goals in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs with Colorado Avalanche forward Valeri Nichushkin, who scored once against the Dallas Stars on Thursday (May 9).
Hyman’s Stardom Grows
Until just a couple months ago, Hyman’s nickname wasn’t well known outside of his teammates and coaches. But as he kept up a torrid scoring pace throughout the 2023-24 season, NHL on TNT studio analyst Paul Bissonnette, one of the most popular social media personalities in hockey, started calling him “Shaq Hyman” during broadcasts, and from there, the moniker spread like wildfire.
On April 27, O’Neal made a surprise appearance on TNT’s NHL coverage, playing the role of “Shaq Hyman.” A few days later, the O’Neal version of “Shaq Hyman” returned, getting bodychecked by Bissonnette in the hallway during an NHL on TNT segment. Then on Wednesday, Inside the NBA ran a video package interspersing highlights of Hyman scoring goals from the doorstep with clips of O’Neal throwing down dunks in the paint.
As his stardom grows, Hyman is enjoying the Shaq Hyman phenomenon (“I’m a huge Shaq fan, obviously,” the Oilers winger said during a pre-game media availability last week. “… It’s pretty cool to share that nickname with him.”), but any comparisons between the two stop abruptly when it comes to championships. O’Neal won four titles in his career; Hyman is hoping he can win his first Stanley Cup with the Oilers this spring.
There remains much work to be done. Despite Hyman’s heroics on Wednesday, the Oilers dropped Game 1 to the Canucks 5-4 after blowing a three-goal lead. Edmonton will look to square the series with a victory in Game 2 at Rogers Arena tonight (May 10).
