There is a fascinating dichotomy between this year and last year when it comes to Edmonton Oilers forward Zach Hyman and the Canadian men’s hockey team.
Around this time last year, Hyman was considered a safe bet to represent his country at the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off. But after a slow start to his NHL season, Hyman’s name was nowhere to be found when Hockey Canada unveiled its final roster for the inaugural 4 Nations event.
Now, Hyman is seen as a bit more of a long shot to join Team Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics, which takes place in Italy this coming February. But just as easily as he played his way out of a spot on the 4 Nations squad, Hyman could book a ticket to Milan with his play leading up to Hockey Canada’s Olympic roster selection in December.
Hyman Attends Hockey Canada Camp
Roster construction is already well underway for the 2026 Canadian men’s Olympic hockey team. Back in June, Hockey Canada named six players, including Oilers captain Connor McDavid, to its preliminary men’s Olympic roster.
The latest step in the process was the Hockey Canada National Teams Orientation Camp, which took place in Calgary from Aug. 26 to 28. Four Oilers were among the 42 NHL players invited: centre McDavid, winger Hyman, forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and defenceman Evan Bouchard.
Related: Oilers’ Quartet Invited to Hockey Canada’s Olympic Orientation Camp
The camp consisted entirely of off-ice activities, but that’s just as well for Hyman, who is still recovering from wrist surgery that brought his postseason to an early end last May.
During Hockey Canada’s camp, Hyman spoke with NHL.com and revealed that he’s not sure whether he will be ready to return to action when the Oilers open their 2025-26 schedule with a home game against the Calgary Flames on Oct. 8.
McDavid Is Key to Hyman’s Chances
Obviously, every game that Hyman is unable to play is a lost opportunity to audition for Hockey Canada. But probably the most important factor for the Toronto native is that whenever he does return to Edmonton’s lineup, he is on the top line with McDavid.
It would be disrespectful to Hyman to say that McDavid is his meal ticket, but there’s no denying that the chemistry Hyman has with the best player on the planet greatly increases his chances of making Canada’s roster.
On makeshift teams with limited preparation time for a short tournament like the Olympics, familiarity between teammates is of the utmost importance, and Hyman and McDavid have plenty of that: Since Hyman signed with the Oilers four years ago, he has played extensively on McDavid’s wing, and the pair have been arguably the most prolific Canadian linemates in the NHL.
Going back to last year’s lead-up to the 4 Nations Face-Off, pretty much every Team Canada roster projection including Hyman has him playing on a line with McDavid.
Hyman Struggled Last Fall
Last year, Hyman was coming off an absolutely spectacular 2023-24 campaign; he had scored 54 times in the regular season, then racked up a league-leading 16 goals in the playoffs, helping Edmonton get to Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Final. There was no way someone with those numbers would be left off Canada’s roster, unless things went completely off the rails over the first couple months of the 2024-25 season. Unfortunately for Hyman, that’s exactly what happened.
Hyman didn’t score once in Edmonton’s first 10 games. Through 20 games, he had just three goals. Then he got hurt and missed two weeks with an undisclosed injury. Hyman returned to action on Dec. 5, the day after Canada’s roster had been unveiled, without him on it.
Hyman went on to finish 2024-25 with 27 goals in 73 games. In the playoffs, he scored five goals in 15 games before injuring his wrist in the Western Conference Final and being sidelined for the championship series.
Hyman Needs a Strong Start
Hyman’s struggles last season are a statistical aberration. Excluding the first 20 games of 2024-25, he is averaging 40 goals per 82 regular season games in his Oilers career. All Hyman needs to do is produce at that rate in October and November, and he should get some serious consideration from the Canadian men’s Olympic team braintrust, including coach Jon Cooper and general manager Doug Armstrong.
Granted, Hyman is coming off a serious injury and getting a bit older (he turned 33 in June), so there is no guarantee that he recaptures his prior form. At least not right away. But Hyman badly wants to be part of Team Canada. If he doesn’t make the cut, it won’t be for lack of desire.
“I remember watching (the 4 Nations) with our teammates cheering Connor on, and you want to be there, you want to be in those moments, you want to be on the greatest stage,” Hyman told NHL.com. “It’s the competitiveness in you. I’d say watching was more motivation than not making the team because it’s more real. It was disappointing, obviously, and I’ll do everything I can to make this one.”
Hyman, and all the Oilers fans cheering him on, will hope that this year proves to be the reverse of last year when it comes to having a spot on Team Canada.
