One of the more newsworthy items this week was news that the Florida Panthers would likely be without the services of star left winger Matthew Tkachuk into January of next year. And that newsworthiness is well-deserved, as Tkachuk’s absence will likely hamper Florida’s chances at winning the highly competitive Atlantic Division. The Panthers will sorely miss Tkachuk, and Florida will be a different team without him.
However, what hasn’t been discussed nearly as much is the health status of Edmonton star left winger Zach Hyman, who underwent surgery on his right wrist May 28 after colliding with former Dallas Stars winger Mason Marchment in the Western Conference final. Hyman said he's uncertain on whether he'll be ready for the start of the regular season, but he feels he's on the right track.
If Hyman does miss time, it will hurt the Oilers as they try to get home-ice advantage in the next Stanley Cup playoffs.
In some ways, the effect of his absence from this Oilers team is similar to the effect Tkachuk’s injury has on the Panthers. For one thing, both Hyman and Tkachuk are power-forward wingers who play a robust physical game. Removing that skill set from games clearly makes it easier on Florida’s and Edmonton’s opponents, and neither team wants to have that identity.
There’s no question the Oilers and Panthers are notably better teams with Hyman and Tkachuk, respectively. In each of the past four years, Hyman has produced at least 27 goals and 44 points, and those particular low-end numbers came this past season, which was an admitted down year for Hyman. If he’s fully healthy, we should be talking about at least 30-35 goals and 25 assists for Hyman. And that will justify Hyman’s $5.5-million salary.
Meanwhile, Tkachuk’s recent seasons have included a down year as well. That came to be last season, when he produced only 22 goals and 57 points in 52 appearances. Those numbers are well below his 40-goal, 100-point set from 2021-23, but Tkachuk’s impact on Florida’s hard-nosed approach to the game is what sets him apart from most of his NHL colleagues, and the same hard-nosed game as what we see with Hyman.
That hard-nosed game defines the games of Tkachuk and Hyman. Unfortunately, that can also mean a hard-nosed player will run headlong into the injury bug, resulting in that player being out of action for an extended period. The Panthers are going to be easier to deal with in the absence of Tkachuk, and the same thing goes for the Oilers in the absence of Hyman.
You can’t deny that the way both Hyman and Tkachuk approach the game can only be a good thing for their employers – that is, when they’re in the lineup. Being without them for an extended period leaves a major vacuum for Edmonton and Florida. The Cup finalists for the past two seasons will dearly miss Tkachuk and Hyman, and by the time the season is over, we’ll clearly see Edmonton and Florida’s record, and the extended absence of two key players had on it.
Updated: Sept. 1, 11 a.m. ET
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