Connor McDavid and the Oilers might have to chase their Stanley Cup dreams without one of their most valuable players.
Zach Hyman’s status is uncertain after he left Game 4 with an injury, dealing a potentially huge blow to Edmonton’s championship hopes.
“He’s our everything out there,” Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch said. “Last year, he scored about 70 goals and numerous important, big goals in the playoffs.”
Hyman’s been absolutely on fire this postseason. He’s already put up 5 goals, including two huge ones in Edmonton’s dominant 6-1 win in Game 3.
But scoring isn’t even the whole story. He’s been throwing his body around too – leading the NHL with an incredible 111 hits in just 15 playoff games.
This couldn’t come at a worse time for the Oilers. They’re just one win away from reaching the Stanley Cup Final, where they might face the Florida Panthers – the same team that broke their hearts in seven games last year.
“He’s a big part of our team on and off the ice,” said teammate Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. “But guys are ready to step up. This is the time of year where everybody wants to step up and do things, and everybody is chomping at the bit to get out there.”
The Hyman-McDavid-Nugent-Hopkins line has been absolutely crushing it against Dallas. They’ve controlled over 61% of the play when on the ice and scored three times in the first three games.
Now all eyes turn to Connor McDavid.
The two-time MVP has been doing what he does best this postseason – setting up his teammates. He leads the NHL with 19 assists and 24 total points. He’s also fired more shots than anyone else (56), though they haven’t been going in quite as often as usual.
The Oilers still have plenty of firepower with stars like Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard. But losing Hyman would be tough to overcome.
For Edmonton to finally bring home that Stanley Cup, they’ll need their superstar McDavid to be at his absolute best. Anything less just won’t cut it.
