Player Discussion Zach Hyman

[Rogue Leader]

He is a player that Oilers have lacked in such a long time. Seeing how he is here and what was said about him during the summer and lead up to free agent day is mind blowing, no one , not leaf fans knew what they had in him.he is just like Ryan smyth but faster.

But why was he never this hockey God in Toronto?

 

[Oilhawks]

But why was he never this hockey God in Toronto?

I think he was a great player there too. If not for the shortened seasons he likely would have scored 30 goals

 

[Twine Tickler]

But at least now you have Ritchie digging out pucks for Matthews and Marner.

ya pretty hard for him to do that on the bench...

Not surprised Hyman is doing so well. He's a complete swiss army knife. Sneaky skilled too. I don't think anyone outside of Toronto fanbase gave Zach any credit for his skill until maybe this year. Happy to see he's getting the love he deserves. Hell of a player

 

[Took a pill in Sbisa]

Gotta say, I think it is so important that Hyman's first experiences in Edmonton are a 9-1 start. He seems genuinely happy and excited to play for the Oilers, and we've seen players experiences really soured in the past with bad starts to the season. Starts where the fans get on the team early and everyone's gripping their sticks and not enjoying playing.
The team success I think is a big driver in Hyman's personal success so far.

 

[Twine Tickler]

But why was he never this hockey God in Toronto?

I think he was a great player there too. If not for the shortened seasons he likely would have scored 30 goals

He was a huge part of our team for the last 3 seasons. early on Babs overused him a bit prematurely. Zach I don't think ever felt fully comfortable in the role he was given under Babs. He was punching a bit out of his weight class in terms of the skill level of his line mates. But credit to Zach, he just kept getting better year over year. The last 2 seasons he was every bit as important to our team as Matthews and Marner IMO. He just does everything the right way.

I don't think you will find too many true Leaf fans that would say a single negative thing towards him. Which should speak volumes to how important he was for us. People always thought he was a product of Mitch and Auston, when in actuality Hyman probably only played on their line for half of last season. They tried him on every line because he drove play wherever he was slotted.

 

[Rogue Leader]

He was a huge part of our team for the last 3 seasons. early on Babs overused him a bit prematurely. Zach I don't think ever felt fully comfortable in the role he was given under Babs. He was punching a bit out of his weight class in terms of the skill level of his line mates. But credit to Zach, he just kept getting better year over year. The last 2 seasons he was every bit as important to our team as Matthews and Marner IMO. He just does everything the right way.

I don't think you will find too many true Leaf fans that would say a single negative thing towards him. Which should speak volumes to how important he was for us. People always thought he was a product of Mitch and Auston, when in actuality Hyman probably only played on their line for half of last season. They tried him on every line because he drove play wherever he was slotted.

Yeah, I completely agree my friend. What I mean is that he didn't really reach this new / next level he just did in Edmonton. He is a true star and game-changer there. I really hope you can understand what I mean. It's hard to write it out.

 

[Studz]

Didn't realize how awesome Hyman is on and off the ice. What a great addition to the team.

 

[DavidHasselhoffsFist]

Didn't realize how awesome Hyman is on and off the ice. What a great addition to the team.

We essentially got a Ryan Smyth back

 

[Bryanbryoil]

Yeah, I completely agree my friend. What I mean is that he didn't really reach this new / next level he just did in Edmonton. He is a true star and game-changer there. I really hope you can understand what I mean. It's hard to write it out.

Matthews is an elite goal scorer while McDavid is an elite playmaker that is also a very good goalscorer. Playmakers tend to elevate their teammates production more unless they are great playmakers themselves and need someone like Matthews to finish the plays. I also think that Hyman being the hard worker that he is, continues to work on his game to improve it unlike a lot of guys that get the big payday and then slack off.

 

[mydnyte]

I hated Hyman on the Leafs top line... his work ethic is great, and all that, but, he'd kill our top line on a regular basis, because i think he started to believe his hype.
an example that would happen over and over...
Matthews would pass to Hyman at blue line for entry in an obvious give-and-go situation, but Hyman would never pass the puck back... he'd either skate it into the corner boards, or shoot it into the corner and go chase it than hug the boards and play footsie with the puck until the shift was over, and the Entire time Matthews and Marner would skate around getting into open positions for passes that just never came, and you could see the frustration on the players faces shift after wasted shift.

If Hyman passes the puck back to the 'skill' players, he'll be great for you guys but if he pulls his Toronto routine, you'll see frustration grow after wasting shift after shift getting open over and over and Hyman never passing the puck. ...1/3 of his 'passes' were shot attempts from the corner that went astray and hit a leafs player by accident.

To be honest, that was the only thing i disliked about his game. ...he will lose the puck in his skates in front of the net, and his reaction time isnt great as a net-front presence either but, if you have nobody else, he's tough to move anyways.

 

[K1984]

I hated Hyman on the Leafs top line... his work ethic is great, and all that, but, he'd kill our top line on a regular basis, because i think he started to believe his hype.
an example that would happen over and over...
Matthews would pass to Hyman at blue line for entry in an obvious give-and-go situation, but Hyman would never pass the puck back... he'd either skate it into the corner boards, or shoot it into the corner and go chase it than hug the boards and play footsie with the puck until the shift was over, and the Entire time Matthews and Marner would skate around getting into open positions for passes that just never came, and you could see the frustration on the players faces shift after wasted shift.

If Hyman passes the puck back to the 'skill' players, he'll be great for you guys but if he pulls his Toronto routine, you'll see frustration grow after wasting shift after shift getting open over and over and Hyman never passing the puck. ...1/3 of his 'passes' were shot attempts from the corner that went astray and hit a leafs player by accident.

To be honest, that was the only thing i disliked about his game. ...he will lose the puck in his skates in front of the net, and his reaction time isnt great as a net-front presence either but, if you have nobody else, he's tough to move anyways.

When McDavid is on the ice all anyone has to do is get him clean posession in the o-zone and he'll create a chance most of the time somehow. Hyman is perfect because he can lug the puck in and hold it low without turning it over. McDavid just takes it from there.

 

[Aerchon]

Almost universally most Toronto fans i spoke to and read about online liked Hyman and we're sad to see him go.

The most common response when I questioned if he was a good acquisition was "you will love him on your team".

Now everyone is surprised how great he is doing so far this year. But I think we should recognize he was playing very well on Toronto and most had him pegged to do well in Edmonton.

I personally think his value was undermined a bit because of the absolute over hype Toronto media does for Matthews and Marner. Combine that with the fact that playing with McDavid is a significant upgrade over those 2 and you have a very reasonable explanation for the difference.

That plus play style compatibility and chemistry pretty much sums up the great start.

I think Hyman correctly identified he would be a great fit on the team and everyone has reaped the benifits from that insightful move.

 

[Stoneman89]

I hated Hyman on the Leafs top line... his work ethic is great, and all that, but, he'd kill our top line on a regular basis, because i think he started to believe his hype.
an example that would happen over and over...
Matthews would pass to Hyman at blue line for entry in an obvious give-and-go situation, but Hyman would never pass the puck back... he'd either skate it into the corner boards, or shoot it into the corner and go chase it than hug the boards and play footsie with the puck until the shift was over, and the Entire time Matthews and Marner would skate around getting into open positions for passes that just never came, and you could see the frustration on the players faces shift after wasted shift.

If Hyman passes the puck back to the 'skill' players, he'll be great for you guys but if he pulls his Toronto routine, you'll see frustration grow after wasting shift after shift getting open over and over and Hyman never passing the puck. ...1/3 of his 'passes' were shot attempts from the corner that went astray and hit a leafs player by accident.

To be honest, that was the only thing i disliked about his game. ...he will lose the puck in his skates in front of the net, and his reaction time isnt great as a net-front presence either but, if you have nobody else, he's tough to move anyways.

I thought he carried the Matthews/Marner combo a lot of times. While they were floating, he was doing most of the work. Big tell this year, with the fairly pedestrian numbers they've put up so far.

 

[Mack a doodle doo]

I honestly have to laugh sometimes watching him play, the guy gets/creates SO many good scoring chances. If he had better finish people would consider him an elite player. He's got an ability to drive the play in a way that I don't think Smyth had imo.

 

[Oilhawks]

I thought he carried the Matthews/Marner combo a lot of times. While they were floating, he was doing most of the work. Big tell this year, with the fairly pedestrian numbers they've put up so far.

Reading what you quoted sounds nothing at like like the player we’ve seen here. That being said, he hasn’t really been expected to be a playmaker here (though he’s made some great plays so far, like the assist for McDavid’s goal last game). He put up good numbers with Toronto but maybe what that poster is saying shows that he was miscast at times there. Seems be playing his top game here

 

[FanOfSadTeam]

Wrong thread

 

[Tarmore]

Quick question for you in Edmonton.

When Hyman was with the Leafs he played on the Left side but the occasional time like when Marner or Nylander were not in the line-up he got to play on the right. I thought he was MUCH more effective on the Right than the left.

I'm happy to see he is playing well overall with Edmonton and is currently on about a 65 point pace. I always liked his game even when he isn't collecting points.

 

[McJadeddog]

Quick question for you in Edmonton.

When Hyman was with the Leafs he played on the Left side but the occasional time like when Marner or Nylander were not in the line-up he got to play on the right. I thought he was MUCH more effective on the Right than the left.

I'm happy to see he is playing well overall with Edmonton and is currently on about a 65 point pace. I always liked his game even when he isn't collecting points.

I don't think he has lined up on the right side at all so far this year with us, so you won't get many opinions on the left v right question with him. He has been *fantastic* for us though so far, better than I was hoping for, even at his contract price. Worth every penny.

 

[Drivesaitl]

Not everything with Hyman has been great. On a club that gives up a startling amount of scoring chances and shots Hyman has been on ice for 3 more EV GA than GF. Playing on the topline with the best player in hockey, and Pulju, who happens to be +6

What I'm seeing on the ice, a lot with Hyman, is he's a fierce forechecker, and getting to a lot of pucks, but I see him jumping plays he has no chance on, and seeing very little presence from him in NZ, he's not a numbers back kind of player. He's basically Kassian with a lot more skill. But he's not good in all areas, or not being that yet here. This is a huge problem for the team as the first line needs to be outsscoring a lot more than it does. We're loading up first line with an astronomical 21M in contracts and Hyman is getting outscored. Can't be happening.

Hyman is a vet on that line who needs to be making better jump, peel back reads. Pulju has afforded himself much better on the line than Hyman has and Pulju is fierce backchecking. Hyman should be an allzone player on that line. he should be dependable, reliable.

 

[Stoneman89]

I think Hyman continues to play great. Just not getting the bounces right now, hitting some iron, and no puck luck. The production and corresponding plus/minus will come around for him, not worried at all.

 

[TheScandal89]

He is a player that Oilers have lacked in such a long time. Seeing how he is here and what was said about him during the summer and lead up to free agent day is mind blowing, no one , not leaf fans knew what they had in him.he is just like Ryan smyth but faster.

We knew exactly what we had in him, management decided they couldn't afford to keep him at the price and term he was going to be offered. Last season he got a lot of recognition in Leaf land. TSN even said around last mid season that he could potentially make team Canada's Olympic roster. So he was not really under the radar towards the end of his tenure and was highly praised for his puck retrieval, hard work ethic, speed, playmaking and net presence. I'm sure in the Hyman signs with Oilers thread I wrote those exact same things about him. He is definitely a good player, no doubt, Matthews is definitely missing him a bit.

 

[bellagiobob]

Not everything with Hyman has been great. On a club that gives up a startling amount of scoring chances and shots Hyman has been on ice for 3 more EV GA than GF. Playing on the topline with the best player in hockey, and Pulju, who happens to be +6

What I'm seeing on the ice, a lot with Hyman, is he's a fierce forechecker, and getting to a lot of pucks, but I see him jumping plays he has no chance on, and seeing very little presence from him in NZ, he's not a numbers back kind of player. He's basically Kassian with a lot more skill. But he's not good in all areas, or not being that yet here. This is a huge problem for the team as the first line needs to be outsscoring a lot more than it does. We're loading up first line with an astronomical 21M in contracts and Hyman is getting outscored. Can't be happening.

Hyman is a vet on that line who needs to be making better jump, peel back reads. Pulju has afforded himself much better on the line than Hyman has and Pulju is fierce backchecking. Hyman should be an allzone player on that line. he should be dependable, reliable.

We must be watching different players. Hyman has been excellent in all three zones. I think it was Cult Of Hockey that showed he has had only 5 major mistakes on grade A shots against even strength this year. He leads the team by a big number at Grade A shots +/- per 15 at 2.36, and that pretty much matches up with my live views. Guy has been an absolute dream so far this year, and his play is exactly what I expected from him.

 

[Spawn]

We must be watching different players. Hyman has been excellent in all three zones. I think it was Cult Of Hockey that showed he has had only 5 major mistakes on grade A shots against even strength this year. He leads the team by a big number at Grade A shots +/- per 15 at 2.36, and that pretty much matches up with my live views. Guy has been an absolute dream so far this year, and his play is exactly what I expected from him.

Pet peeve, but those stats from Cult of Hockey aren't real. They are just as biased as any of us when watching the game.

 

[bellagiobob]

Pet peeve, but those stats from Cult of Hockey aren't real. They are just as biased as any of us when watching the game.

I guess that's your opinion. I don't really need stats to back up my eyes telling me that Hyman is an excellent two way player, but always thought the COH stats were fair. Have analyzed a few games they did and came to similar conclusions. It's not really rocket science.

 

[Fourier]

Pet peeve, but those stats from Cult of Hockey aren't real. They are just as biased as any of us when watching the game.

They are subjective for sure and far from perfect. But they are compiled by watching video I believe, which means they are probably more accurate than a typical viewer's recollection.