The Toronto Maple Leafs announced on Thursday that forward Zach Hyman will undergo surgery on Monday to repair a torn ACL. He is expected to miss at least six months.
The @MapleLeafs announced today that forward Zach Hyman will undergo surgery Monday, April 29 to repair a torn Anterior Cruciate Ligament (ACL) sustained during the team’s first round playoff series against Boston. He is expected to miss a minimum of six months.
— Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) April 25, 2019
Zach Hyman Played Through A Torn ACL
Hyman suffered the injury during the Leafs first round series vs the Boston Bruins. He did play in all seven games during the series, though. During the postseason, Hyman only recorded one point.
This season, Hyman scored 21 goals and 20 assists for 41 points to go along with 65 minutes in penalties. His possession numbers were 52.5 percent Corsi and a relative Corsi of +1.6 percent.
Hyman has spent his entire career as a Leaf. He has 50 goals and 65 assists for 115 career points in 251 career games. Hyman has three goals and six assists for 9 points in 20 career Stanley Cup Playoff games. He was originally drafted by the Florida Panthers in the fifth round, 123rd overall in the 2010 NHL Draft.
What This Means for the Future
Over the course of his career, Hyman’s numbers have gotten better. This season he recorded his first 20-goal season and a career-high 41 points. The Leafs will now look to see if he is able to play at the same level once he returns from ACL surgery.
It comes as a surprise that Hyman was actually able to play through a torn ACL. The injury is known for being excruciatingly painful but Hyman didn’t show any signs of such a traumatic injury. The Toronto Native spent time on the Leafs top line during the Stanley Cup Playoffs, alongside John Tavares and Mitch Marner.
The estimated six-month timeline for Hyman’s recovery means he will likely miss the first month of next season, at least. With the Leafs failing to make it past the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoff for the second straight year, fans are expecting a few changes before next season. This could include the team parting ways with star head coach Mike Babcock. General Manager, Kyle Dubas, told the media on Thursday that everyone in the organization is under speculation, including both himself and Babcock. The Leafs may also make plenty of player moves, potentially looking to acquire another winger to fill in for Hyman as he recovers from the surgery.
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