Another season, another bitter end for the Edmonton Oilers. For the second consecutive year, they clawed their way to the Stanley Cup Final only to fall short against the Florida Panthers. As the confetti fell, the Oilers were left with the familiar, empty feeling of “what if.” What if a puck had bounced differently? What if a call had gone their way? And the biggest what-if of all: What if Zach Hyman had been in the lineup?
The absence of the team’s heart-and-soul winger left a cavernous hole in their roster. Now, with the 2025-26 season on the horizon, one of the most critical questions facing the organization is the health of Hyman’s surgically-repaired wrist and whether the team’s engine can get back up to speed.
A Season Derailed by a Dislocation
The moment that changed the Oilers’ trajectory came in Game 4 of the Western Conference Final. A collision with Dallas’s Mason Marchment resulted in a dislocated wrist for Hyman, an injury that required immediate surgery and ended his postseason.
To say his presence was missed is an understatement. Before the injury, Hyman was a one-man wrecking crew. In just 15 playoff games, he had posted 11 points and led all skaters with a bone-rattling 111 hits. He was the relentless forechecker, the net-front nightmare, and the guy who created the space for his superstar teammates to operate. Watching from the press box was, in his own words, “miserable” and “horrible.” He felt helpless, a feeling completely alien to a player whose career is built on pure, unadulterated effort.
Skates On, Stick in the Rack
The good news is that Hyman has attacked his rehabilitation with his trademark tenacity. After two months in a cast, he is nearly free of a brace and feels he is “on the right track.” The silver lining of an upper-body injury is that it didn’t keep him off the ice. Hyman has been skating all summer, maintaining his elite conditioning. As he noted, unlike a knee injury, the wrist issue hasn’t stopped him from keeping his legs and lungs in game-ready shape. He has one final meeting with his surgeon, but all signs point to a recovery that is progressing as well as can be expected. But “progressing well” and “ready for NHL action” are two very different things.
The Uncertainty of Oct. 8
This is where the optimism meets a harsh reality. When asked directly if he’ll be ready for the season opener against the Calgary Flames on Oct. 8, Hyman’s answer was a candid “I don’t know.”
Interestingly, he views this uncertainty as a positive. It’s not a hard “no.” The door remains open. But the situation is completely out of his hands. He is on the doctors’ timeline, and his status is being evaluated on a “day-by-day” basis. This leaves the Oilers in a precarious position, unable to plan their top-six forward group with any certainty as training camp looms.
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Why a Dislocation is a Game-Changer
Fans shouldn’t mistake this for a simple broken bone. Dislocations can be far more complex, carrying a significant risk of nerve and blood vessel damage that can impede a full recovery. For a player with Hyman’s specific skillset, this is a major red flag.
Hyman scores his goals in the trenches. His value comes from his “great touch in and around the net”—the ability to deflect pucks, win stick battles, and corral greasy rebounds in the blue paint. This requires immense wrist strength and fine motor control. Any lingering stiffness, weakness, or loss of sensation could fundamentally alter his effectiveness.
We need only look at his former teammate, Evander Kane, who dealt with nerve damage after a severe skate cut. Kane remained an effective player, but he has admitted it took 12 to 18 months before he regained full feeling. Hyman’s game is even more reliant on that tactile feel around the net. If he can’t lean on his stick with 100% confidence or deftly redirect a puck in traffic, his production will inevitably suffer.
This injury complicates Hyman’s desire for a bounce-back season. After a career-high 54 goals in 2023-24, his total dipped to 27 last year. He’s also squarely on Hockey Canada’s radar for the 2026 Winter Olympics, and he’s using his snub from the 4 Nations Face-Off team as fuel. A dominant season would make him an Olympic lock; a season hampered by injury could dash those dreams.
Ultimately, Hyman’s wrist may be the fulcrum on which the Oilers’ season balances. His health could be the key variable in their quest for the Stanley Cup. The entire organization, and its fanbase, will be holding its breath, waiting for the answer to the million-dollar question.
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