"It wasn't pretty": Hyman returns to Oilers lineup after abrupt illness
A familiar face will be back in the Edmonton Oilers lineup against the Winnipeg Jets tonight.
After missing Wednesday’s game against the Vegas Golden Knights with a last-minute illness, Oilers forward Zach Hyman will return to his spot on Connor McDavid’s right wing.
The 31-year-old met with reporters after practice this morning, when he divulged some more information on the illness that knocked him out of game action.
“It was not fun,” Hyman said with a laugh. “At morning skate [on Wednesday] I tried to grind it out and it just got kind of progressively worse. A 24-hour bug.
“It wasn’t good, it wasn’t pretty… it kind of ran through my house and then I was the last one to fall.”
"I feel great now & Iām excited to be back with the guys."
Zach Hyman on drawing back into the lineup after missing last game with an illness. @Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/bR5QVHfI3p
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) November 30, 2023
Luckily, the Oilers leading goal-scorer has put the worst behind him and is now ready to jump back into action.
“I feel great now, and I am excited to be back with the guys,” said Hyman. “It was a huge win [against Vegas]. I think everyone stepped up, and it was awesome to see.”
The Oilers were able to score four goals in regulation without Hyman against the Golden Knights. The two players who got boosts from Hyman being a late scratch, Mattias Janmark and Sam Gagner, both found the back of the net.
Though Edmonton got timely scoring from a few unexpected places, it is no question that adding the Toronto native back into the lineup will provide the team a boost. Hyman has had a magnificent start to the season, scoring 12 goals and 22 points through the first 20 games of the season.
Hyman getting back into the lineup means more changes to the forward lines. Janmark will slide back down onto the fourth line with James Hamblin and Adam Erne, while Sam Gagner will be a healthy scratch.
Stuart Skinner is expected to get the start between the pipes for Edmonton.
The Oilers will try to make it four wins in a row tonight as they take on a Jets team coming off two straight losses.
You can catch puck drop at 6 pm MT on Sportsnet West.