The Edmonton Oilers keep showing flashes of the team they believe they can be, but long stretches of irregular play have made this season feel unsettled. They have had nights filled with pace and confidence, followed by outings where control slips away just as quickly.
That uncertainty has left the lineup searching for stability, and the next few days may finally bring the shift they have been waiting for. With a key figure nearing a return, the team’s forward mix is about to look very different, and the timing could not be better.
How Will Zach Hyman’s Return Change the Oilers’ Season?
Oilers’ $38.5 million man is set to make his season debut against the Carolina Hurricanes, marking the end of a long recovery from a wrist injury. Zach Hyman, out since Game 4 of last season’s Western Conference Final, underwent surgery in the summer and started the season on long-term injured reserve. After weeks of practice and changing return dates, he is finally expected to rejoin the lineup.
“We’re definitely looking sometime this week, maybe tomorrow if we’re really lucky, but definitely by Saturday (vs Carolina),” Knoblauch said on Wednesday.
Edmonton has felt his absence in every part of the ice. The team has rotated wingers on the top line, trying to find someone who can provide the same pressure around the crease and the same determination in the tough areas. Players like Andrew Mangiapane and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins have stepped into the role, but they haven’t been able to replicate the style and edge Hyman brings.
His return anchors everything. With him back beside Connor McDavid, the Oilers can once again spread out their top talent. It allows McDavid and Leon Draisaitl to drive separate lines without losing the net-front presence that makes Edmonton so dangerous. Depth players slide into more comfortable roles, and the constant line juggling can finally settle.
The Oilers have struggled to sustain pressure and win enough battles around the boards. Hyman’s style immediately changes the temperature of games, helping Edmonton dictate pace rather than react to it.
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Before the injury, Hyman had 27 goals in 73 games and remained one of the team’s most dependable forwards. The season before that, he scored 54 goals. The team has produced on the power play, but five-on-five scoring still lags, and this is where his presence matters most. With the Hurricanes up next on Hockey Night in Canada, the Oilers finally have a chance to look like themselves again. His contract, worth $38.5 million over seven years, was built for moments like this.
Edmonton has pushed through without him, but the results have reflected the gap his absence created. Now, if Hyman’s return goes as planned, the Oilers might finally have the missing piece back in place as they try to shift their season in the right direction.