3 best options for Edmonton Oilers to try with Zach Hyman injured
The Edmonton Oilers got the worst possible news on Wednesday morning.
Zach Hyman is most likely done for the playoffs after suffering an injury in the first period of Game 4. This came after an awkward collision with Dallas Stars forward Mason Marchment, which resulted in Hyman going off the ice, favouring his right arm.
CHEK TV’s Rick Dhaliwal reported that the Oilers forward will be having surgery on his wrist.
This is a massive blow to the Oilers as Hyman has been one of the team’s most dependable forwards throughout the postseason. Not only was he making an offensive impact, but he was also a game-changer on the physical side of the puck, having recorded 111 hits up until the point of his injury.
He was on pace to break an NHL record for most hits in a single postseason, but that will no longer be the case.
This will require some adjustments for the Oilers, and they have some options. Here are three different routes that Knoblauch could explore to help deal with Hyman’s absence.
1. Jeff Skinner’s time to shine
The most obvious solution is to give Jeff Skinner another shot to prove his worth in the playoffs.
Skinner will be as motivated as ever to make an impact, after having played just a single game in his entire career, which came in the opening round against the LA Kings. With Hyman being a top-line player, the Oilers don’t have anybody else sitting out who has extensive experience playing in that type of offensive role.
Skinner has a proven history of being an elite goal-scorer and could work great alongside Connor McDavid as a trigger-man.
Despite playing in a reduced role and becoming a semi-regular healthy scratch, Skinner still managed to pot 13 goals on the season. There is a chance he can catch lightning in a bottle for the remainder of the playoffs, especially if Knoblauch gives him a shot at the top of the lineup.
The downside to this option is that it’s unlikely that Skinner will be able to pick up the slack from a physical standpoint. Still, the aim of the game is scoring more goals than your opponent, and Skinner will help the Oilers do that.
2. Young blood opportunity
If Knoblauch isn’t ready to hand Skinner the keys to a top-six role, there is another riskier option that the team could take.
Matt Savoie has been joining the team as a member of the black aces squad throughout the postseason, and he could be an option to draw into the lineup. The 21-year-old St. Albert native appeared in just four NHL games this season, but he had some chemistry with Leon Draisaitl.
He’s an offensive force who tore up the AHL with 19 goals and 54 points last season, and he’ll most likely be an Oilers regular heading into next season.
It’s not unheard of to throw a rookie into the lineup in the Western Conference Final. The Oilers did just that with Dylan Holloway back in 2022, and Savoie is the top prospect currently in the system.
He fits the mould of a top-six offensive forward, though physicality is another concern.
3. The “11 and 7” route
If neither Skinner nor Savoie appeals to Knoblauch, he doesn’t have to play either of them.
With Mattias Ekholm on the verge of returning to the lineup, the Oilers could run with a formation of 11 forwards and seven defencemen. This option relies on Connor Brown being healthy enough to rejoin the team, and it would still require a bit of a shuffle of players at the top of the lineup.
Edmonton has proven that they can withstand playing with 11 forwards, having done so multiple times this season to decent results. This option would also give Ekholm a chance to be eased into the lineup after such a prolonged absence.
Perhaps a player like Evander Kane could move up into the top-six to deal with Hyman’s absence. Both Corey Perry and Brown also have experience playing up the lineup as well.
With Game 4 in Dallas set for Thursday, Knoblauch will have to make a decision quickly.