Hyman loss 'extremely disappointing' for Oilers heading to Game 5 at Stars

DALLAS -- Zach Hyman vowed the Edmonton Oilers would be back in the Stanley Cup Final in an emotional locker room speech following their Game 7 loss to the Florida Panthers a year ago.

Unfortunately for the forward, he will not be part of it if the Oilers advance to the Cup Final again. Hyman is likely out for the rest of the playoffs after sustaining an upper-body injury as the result of a collision with Dallas Stars forward Mason Marchment at 9:17 of the first period of a 4-1 win in Game 4 of the Western Conference Final on Tuesday.

Hyman underwent surgery for the injury Wednesday and will not play when Edmonton tries to close out Dallas in Game 5 at American Airlines Center on Thursday (8 p.m. ET; ESPN+, ESPN, SN, TVAS, CBC), with the Oilers holding a 3-1 lead in the best-of-7 series.

“Obviously it’s extremely disappointing to lose [Hyman], devastated for him,” Edmonton captain Connor McDavid said Thursday morning. “He wants to be out there, wants to make a difference and so we’ll miss him a lot.”

Hyman had 11 points (five goals, six assists) in 15 games for the Oilers this postseason. He has also been a one-man wrecking ball, leading the playoffs with 111 hits, 15 short of the all-time postseason record of 126, set by Blake Coleman of the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020.

“His physical presence has been very noticeable,” Edmonton forward Corey Perry said. “He’s a dog on a bone on the puck. He hunts the puck, gets in on the forecheck and protects the puck. There’s things he does in the lineup that can’t be replaced, but there are certainly guys that can come in and help fill that void.”

Hyman is also a big part of the Oilers power play, which is connecting at 29 percent (11-for-38) in the playoffs.

Even the Dallas players acknowledge Hyman will be a big loss for Edmonton.

“He’s a great player, he was playing very physically, which I think the defensemen noticed,” Stars defenseman Thomas Harley said. “Even when he’s not scoring, he’d be affecting the game that way, so I’m happy he’s not playing. Obviously injuries [stink], he’s a good player and when he’s not on their team they’re a little bit worse.”

Now in his fourth season with the Oilers, Hyman has 60 points (35 goals, 25 assists) in 68 playoff games with Edmonton. He has 73 points (40 goals, 33 assists) in 100 playoff games in his NHL career, including five postseason appearances with the Toronto Maple Leafs from 2017-21.

“We’re going to miss Zach, not only for his goal-scoring, but his physicality and his defensive play,” Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said. “We’ve relied on him in the penalty kill throughout the playoffs, something that he hasn’t done much at all since I’ve been here.

“Zach’s not going to be replaced, but hopefully everyone can step up a little; a few more hits from everyone else throughout the lineup, with the offensive play, hopefully someone is going to come up with an important goal. There’s no replacing Zach Hyman.”

Forward Jeff Skinner will be inserted into the lineup in place of Hyman in Game 5 against the Stars. Skinner has not played in the playoffs since Game 1 against the Los Angeles Kings in the first round.

Defenseman Mattias Ekholm will also be in the lineup for the first time in the playoffs, after being out with an undisclosed injury since April 11. He can sympathize with Hyman’s plight.

“It’s devastating," Ekholm said, "It’s kind of surreal moment when I personally know I’m close to getting back and you see Zach and he’s most likely done, and I’m feeling for him personally and know what a playoffs he had and just contributing in a great way and played his [butt] off and it’s been great to watch him.

“We’re going to miss him for sure, but it’s that next man up. In the playoffs, you’re going to have guys that go down with injuries, I don’t think any team has a 100 percent healthy lineup. It’s part of the game and it’s up to us and others in the room to fill that void and hopefully we can keep the train moving in the right direction.”