The Edmonton Oilers come out of Tuesday’s Game 4 win with the prospect of returning to the Stanley Cup final and avenging last year’s loss.
But losing right winger Zach Hyman for likely the rest of the playoffs due to an injury he suffered in that 4-1 win is a massive blow – and a big test of the Oilers’ depth.
Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch told reporters on Wednesday that Hyman required surgery after taking a hit from Dallas Stars left winger Mason Marchment.
Of course, if there’s one thing you can count on about the playoffs, it’s that it’s a war of attrition. Injuries are a fact of life, and the teams that have great depth are usually the ones hoisting the Cup when it’s all said and done.
Hyman’s injury leaves a hole in the lineup that will be difficult to fill. His 27 goals and 44 points in 73 regular-season games are a fall from the 54 goals and 77 points he had last year, but he still proved to be a valuable player in the playoffs with five goals and 11 points. He also leads the NHL in rebounds created, with 17, and high-danger chances, with 34, according to naturalstattrick.com.
On top of all that, Hyman leads the NHL in hits these playoffs with 111, 29 more than Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett, who ranks second with 82. Hyman was the guy on the Connor McDavid and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins line who put his body on the line, and it will be all but impossible to find someone else on the team to replicate exactly what he does.
The first question is who enters the lineup with Hyman out. The easy answer is veteran right winger Jeff Skinner.
The 33-year-old has played only one playoff game for the Oilers this year – his only NHL post-season game ever – on April 21 against the Los Angeles Kings. While Skinner did generate an assist that night, he played only 11:12 in that game and exited the lineup once Evander Kane was healthy, so he’s clearly not a favorite of Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch.
Still, Skinner isn’t the type of player you insert into the third or fourth line. So this may be his last best shot to stick in the lineup the rest of the way. He played mostly with Nugent-Hopkins and the physical Trent Frederic in his last appearance, but he also spent about two minutes with McDavid and Hyman and about a minute with Adam Henrique and Viktor Arvidsson, according to moneypuck.com.
Nevertheless, the Oilers need a player who can win puck battles for the rest of the line, so Skinner can’t just replace Hyman. Someone else must rise in Hyman’s absence.
It doesn’t help that the Oilers are also without left winger Connor Brown, who’s been sidelined since Game 3 after being creamed by Dallas defenseman Alexander Petrovic.
Brown has been one of Edmonton’s unsung heroes in the post-season, posting five goals and eight points in 14 playoff games. And yet, the Oilers have still looked strong in his absence on Tuesday. That’s the mark of a team with an embarrassment of riches.
The Oilers have six players with at least 10 points, including Hyman. The Stars only have four despite playing two more games. Corey Perry’s nine points are as many as Matt Duchene and Jamie Benn combined. (The Florida Panthers have 10 players with at least 10 points, but let the conference finals play out first.)
In any case, Hyman’s absence will be felt, but Edmonton’s depth should allow it to continue prospering – and maybe, just maybe, win a Cup.
Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.