One of the things that surprised me last July, when the Edmonton Oilers signed Zach Hyman to a seven-year contract, was the abundance of well wishes and praise from fans and people close to the Toronto Maple Leafs. You know, talk about Hyman as a really good player and an even better guy.
With his first season in Edmonton in the books, one in which the 30-year-old forward from Hogtown produced a career-high 27 goals and 54 points, Hyman has not only lived up to his advanced billing, which has exceeded all the expectations I had. on and off the ice. I guess you can feel the same.
The latest example came at the Big Smoke Monday, where Hyman held his annual charity golf tournament in support of the SickKids Foundation of Toronto and Edmonton and the Jewish Federation of Edmonton and Toronto. Connor McDavid, Darnell Nurse, Evan Bouchard, Ryan McLeod, Warren Foegele, Devin Shore and Jack Campbell attended, meaning about a third of the Oilers roster participated.
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While it would be stretching things to draw a straight line between guys spending the offseason together and winning, it’s been my experience that teams with bonds beyond the locker room tend to enjoy success. We saw some of that last season with the Oilers reaching the Western Conference Finals. Here we are, two days short of a year since Hyman signed his deal, and he’s right in the middle of the mix.
WHAT THEY SAY
Captain Connor discusses Campbell’s addition to the #Oilers pipes, Kane’s return to the team, Calgary’s roster shake-up and more from the @ZachHymanGolf tournament in Toronto.@cmcdavid97 | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/QQgz1W0vWv
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) July 25, 2022
“He’s been a great addition to our team,” McDavid said. “I have met him personally, training with him throughout the summer. To look around and see how many people have come to support him and his event, it’s really nice to see.”
“A tournament like this encapsulates who Zach is,” said Nurse, one of 10 Oilers to hail from Ontario. “He sees all the teammates he has now, former teammates and everyone who wants to support. It just speaks to what a good guy he is and how much he cares about his community.”
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On top of everything else, we know that Hyman and Campbell are friends and former teammates, and that their relationship played a big role in getting Campbell signed to a five-year contract and addressing a major void in the fold.
“I just tried to convey my experience as best I could,” Hyman said. “Be open and honest with him about how I felt about Edmonton. I think everybody’s situation is different, but for me, like I said, it was the perfect fit.
“He’s an amazing person, a really nice guy. First of all, he’s a great person and as a goaltender, someone who tries to push the envelope and push his skills as much as he can with his work ethic. I think that’s going to fit perfectly in the group we have here.”
THE BOTTOM LINE
May 24, 2022; Edmonton, Alberta, CAN; Edmonton Oilers forward Zach Hyman (18) celebrates a goal against the Calgary Flames during the first period of Game 4 of the second round of the 2022 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Rogers Place. Mandatory Credit: Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports
He wasn’t sure about Hyman as a player, in terms of whether he could live up to his contract, when the Oilers signed him a year ago, but it’s obvious those doubts were unfounded now. He’s a better player than I expected and it’s obvious that he’s already part of the core of a team trying to grow in Stanley Cup contention.
Maple Leafs fans who were mourning the loss of Hyman a year ago weren’t fuming and that’s nothing but good news for the Oilers faithful out there. As advertised.