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Zach Hyman injury is a painful 2-week blow for the Oilers

Dustin Judge
Oilers forwards Zach Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in Washington in 2022; the Zach Hyman injury comes days after Nugent-Hopkins went on injured reserve

Two weeks. That is how Edmonton Oilers coach Mike Babcock translated the “day-to-day” label on the Zach Hyman injury Thursday, Oct. 1, as he ruled the forward out of the team’s game at Vancouver with an upper-body ailment.

“I told you I think that (day to day) means two weeks, right?” Babcock said, according to NHL.com’s Kevin Woodley.

How the Zach Hyman injury happened

The 34-year-old was hurt in Edmonton’s final preseason game, against Calgary on Saturday, Sept. 26. He still played 20:33 in the season opener Tuesday, a 6-5 overtime loss to the Canucks at home, but did not register a point.

The Zach Hyman injury is the second blow to Edmonton’s top six in a matter of days. Center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins hurt his lower body at practice Monday and was placed on injured reserve Wednesday, NHL.com reported.

Samanski gets the call after the Zach Hyman injury

Edmonton recalled forward Josh Samanski from AHL Bakersfield under emergency conditions. The 24-year-old was set to make his season debut Thursday in what would be his 25th NHL game.

Babcock framed the shuffle as a chance for players like Samanski. “If you’re a young guy or you’re a new guy and you’re trying to find a role on a team, we’re trying everything because we’re trying to figure it out ourselves,” he said. “And so you might say it’s not ideal, but in another way it’s really ideal, and a little adversity at the start of the year never hurt anybody. Let’s dig in.”

What Edmonton loses on the power play

Hyman is a fixture on the top line and the top power-play unit. He scored 31 goals and added 21 assists for 52 points in 58 games last season, and 10 of his goals came on a power play that led the NHL at 30.6 percent with 68 goals, per NHL.com.

He has 495 points in 712 career regular-season games with Toronto and Edmonton. Even with Hyman in the lineup, the Oilers went 1 for 4 on the power play in the opener, so the Zach Hyman injury leaves Babcock searching for answers on special teams as well.

If Babcock’s estimate holds, the Zach Hyman injury would keep him out until about mid-October. Edmonton hosts Seattle on Saturday. Read our Oilers vs. Canucks preview for more on the matchup, and track every update on our NHL injuries page.

Dustin Judge is the Founder and CEO of Total Apex Media, bringing more than 20 years of writing and editorial experience to the company's growing network of digital publications. He specializes in sports, sports betting, fantasy sports, and digital publishing, with a focus on producing accurate, timely, and engaging content for readers. Dustin oversees editorial strategy, content development, and publishing operations across Total Apex Media while remaining actively involved in sports, betting, and fantasy sports coverage.