After an unexpectedly terrible start to the season, Edmonton Oilers fans had very little to cheer about as the team began the 2023–24 season dead last. It was understandable that the supporters were disappointed with their team’s performance to begin the season, especially for a squad with aspirations as high as winning the Stanley Cup. They have improved since their poor start and are currently sitting at 15-15-1 going into the Christmas break, which is respectable but still leaves them needing to move up the Pacific Division standings.
One player who has remained consistently dominant is forward Zach Hyman, who leads all Oilers’ players in goals heading into the holiday season and has solidified himself as a star with more than half of the season left to play. It would be easy to get lost in the shadow of Connor McDavid or Leon Draisaitl who have both been generational talents who have carried the Oilers to their success over the past several seasons, but Hyman has stood out as one of, if not the most consistent Oiler on a nightly basis at both ends of the ice.
Hyman currently has 19 goals and 12 assists for 31 points through 30 games this season. He is one of five Oilers players who are averaging at least a point per game up until this point. Hyman sits tied for fourth on the team in points, fifth in assists, and first in goals and has been dominating the defensive side of the puck all season. His strength at both ends of the ice even during the Oilers’ early season slump, has been one thing fans have enjoyed watching even in losses, and hope he can continue playing at the elite level he has started the season with.
The Effect of Hyman Since Becoming an Oiler
Hyman decided not to re-sign with the Toronto Maple Leafs at the end of the 2020–21 season, having spent parts of six seasons with the organization. As a result, the Oilers signed him to a hefty seven-year contract for $5.5 million per season. Some questioned whether his new contract with the Oilers was a bit too pricey for someone who might be unproven after he finished the season with just 15 goals and 18 assists for 33 points through 43 games, barely surpassing his career high of 41 points.
