The Edmonton Oilers were on a roll in the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs, but on Tuesday night, they were dealt a serious blow. While they won Game 4 in Edmonton to take a 3-1 series lead in the Western Conference Final versus the Dallas Stars, they lost a key member of their offence.
Zach Hyman was forced to leave the game in the first period after an awkward collision with Mason Marchment and didn’t return. The next morning, head coach Kris Knoblauch told reporters the 32-year-old’s season was likely over. The news has devastated the Oilers and their fan base, and some now question whether or not they can win it all without the hard-nosed goal scorer.
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Losing Hyman is a big deal. He has been one of this team’s biggest offensive producers for several years and is leading the playoffs in hits. He’s also beloved in the dressing room. That said, losing Hyman does not have to be devastating.
Oilers Have a Similar Player
Hyman has been playing on a line with Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in the playoffs. Throughout his Oilers tenure, he’s often lined up alongside the captain because of their great chemistry. Now, Hyman’s spot on the top line is vacant.
While losing a top-line forward is a blow for any team, the Oilers have the luxury of having Corey Perry in the lineup, who can step up and fill the void. Perry has also spent time playing alongside McDavid, including early in these playoffs. While lacking the foot speed Hyman provides, Perry plays a similar overall game. He is elite from the hashmarks in and plays a gritty, crash-and-bang style. He knows that he is at his best around the net, and isn’t afraid to drive there, whether to provide screens or bang home a pass.
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Hyman has also been a fixture on the team’s top power play, which has caused opposing teams fits for years. As of late, however, he had been replaced on that top unit by Perry, meaning that losing the 32-year-old shouldn’t be a major issue on special teams.
Oilers Have Plenty of Depth
Heading into the playoffs, there was a lot of talk about the Oilers’ lack of forward depth. They have since proven it is not an issue, receiving tremendous depth scoring throughout the playoffs, and there is no reason to expect that to change going forward.
What also bodes well for the Oilers is that Jeff Skinner has been banished to the press box since the opening game of the postseason, thanks to the team’s depth up front. With Hyman out, Skinner will get another opportunity, and though his Oilers tenure hasn’t gone as planned, he has proven to be a reliable goal scorer throughout his career.
Skinner has cracked the 30-goal mark six times in his career, including a career-high 40 as a member of the Buffalo Sabres in 2018-19. While expecting that type of production from him in the playoffs would be naïve, he does have the ability to put the puck in the net, which should help, at least partially, make up for Hyman’s production.
Oilers Will Carry On
Losing Hyman will not be easy to get past, but at this point, the fan base should be confident that they will. Having Perry play a similar role is a huge relief and will help fill the void, and having Skinner at their disposal will also be a boost. On top of that, the Oilers have two of the game’s best in McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, giving fans hope that they can march on to win their first Stanley Cup since 1990, starting with a victory in Game 5 tonight in Dallas, which would put them into the Stanley Cup Final.
