The Edmonton Oilers have reportedly signed Zach Hyman, the unrestricted free agent left winger, to a seven-year deal worth $38.5 million. It carries a salary-cap hit of $5.5 million with a no-move clause first five years and a modified no move in the last two years.
Hyman signing in Edmonton will be 7 years, $5.5 mil aav. Some bonus structure included. No move clause for first 5 years and modified no move in last two years.
— Darren Dreger (@DarrenDreger) July 28, 2021
Zach Hyman Signed With Edmonton
Over his six-year NHL career, all spent with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He’s contributed 86 goals and 99 assists for 185 points in 345 career regular-season games. The 29-year-old was originally drafted by the Florida Panthers 123rd overall in the 2010 Entry Draft. He was later traded to Toronto in 2015.
Last season Hyman was on another level in the pandemic shortened season. The Toronto native had 15 goals and 18 assists for 33 points in 43 games. He missed 13 games due to a knee injury in May. Hyman averaged 19:22 minutes on ice, a new career-high, and was on pace to record his third straight 20 goal season before his injury. His career possession numbers are 47.4 percent Corsi and a relative Corsi of -0.6.
Here’s What He Brings
Hyman has excelled in his role as a puck retriever over the last few seasons. Playing alongside Auston Matthews early in his career, Hyman’s role was to get the puck for the Leaf’s main scorer. Lately, he has been scoring on his own and even running his own line on a deep Maple Leafs’ team. He still plays a tough, in the corners type game that elevates his linemates and allows them to get open instead of playing down low. Hyman has also been an effective penalty killer throughout his career and regularly patrolled the first unit.
His style of play is extremely effective in today’s NHL and Hyman will excel on his new deal. The only concern may be the number of hard miles that Hyman has worn over his six NHL seasons. He missed a month of play with a sprained ankle in 2018 and famously (and questionably) played through a torn ACL in the 2018-’19 playoffs. On top of his second knee injury this season, there are questions starting to pop up on how much more abuse the winger can handle.
His new deal may someday be an anchor on the books but, that does not matter right now. For the next couple of years at a minimum, Hyman will remain a top-six forward capable of playing alongside some of the NHL’s elite players.
His new deal here would say he is one of those elite.
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