Zach Hyman is still a first-line player. Don’t fall for the claims that he is aging or that there is a shiny new toy ready to replace him. Hyman isn’t old. He hasn’t slowed down, in fact, he had a very productive season last year, and a first-round loss to Anaheim doesn’t change that.

Forty-five players scored 30-plus goals in the NHL last season, and only one did it playing fewer than 60 games. Hyman scored 31 goals in 58 games. The next closest in fewest games played were Leon Draisaitl with 35 goals in 65 games and William Nylander with 30 goals in 65 games.

Hyman missed the first 19 games of the season recovering from wrist surgery. When he returned, he wore a wrist brace as he had yet to regain full strength and mobility. He scored one goal in his first eight games, as he tried to jump on the speeding train of the regular season on Nov. 15. His first two weeks were akin to a preseason for him as he regained his timing and game conditioning.

From Dec. 3 onward, he scored 30 goals in his final 50 games and was one of only nine players to score 30-plus goals in that span. Connor McDavid and Cole Caufield led the league with 37 goals in 55 and 56 games, respectively, over that span.

Hyman is still an elite goal scorer. His relentless work ethic, ability to win puck battles along the boards and in front of the net make him a unique player. In today’s NHL, where brute physicality and punching prowess aren’t the calling card past power forwards needed, Hyman is one of the premier power forwards in the game.

While it is fun to project line combinations in the off-season, any projection that doesn’t have Hyman in the top six is misguided in my eyes. Hyman is the best winger option for McDavid, except when Mike Babcock wants to deploy McDavid with Draisaitl. And when Babcock loads up those two, Hyman will be the driving force on the second line.

Hyman will average the third-most minutes five-on-five per game among Oilers forwards this season, just like he did last year. Vasily Podkolzin plays a similar straight, up-and-down game as Hyman, and pairing him with Draisaitl gives the Oilers two superstar forwards an excellent sidekick.

Matt Savoie and Isaac Howard are not better options than Hyman right now. Savoie had a fantastic final stretch, producing 19 points in 24 games after the Olympics, and he likely would have started the season in the top six. Instead, he will miss the first few weeks with an injury, while Howard will need a great training camp and preseason as he tries to skate his way into a regular NHL role.

The Edmonton Oilers need a good start, and with veterans allowed to play in only two preseason games, while the team has four, there isn’t much time to experiment with new combinations. Babcock might be able to try new or different lines later in the season if the Oilers get off to a good start. They have stumbled out of the gate the past three years, going 2-7-1, 4-5-1 and 4-5-1 in their first 10 games in the 2024, 2025, and 2026 seasons and want to avoid another sluggish start.

I don’t expect a slow start this season for a variety of reasons. They are rested. Their core players are healthy, and no one required off-season surgery. They are angry after a first-round playoff loss to Anaheim, which ended with an ugly, spiritless 5-2 loss in Game 6. And they will want to impress their new head coach.

Hyman was a vocal proponent of hiring Babcock. In Babcock’s second season in Toronto, Hyman scored 10 goals as a rookie in 2017. He scored 15 in his second season, and the coach knows and trusts his strengths. I’d be stunned if Hyman isn’t top three in time on ice/game among forwards.

The team needs a good start, but so does Babcock and he know exactly what he will get in Hyman. Coaches love predictable players. Whether they are a first liner, a fourth liner or a third-pair defender, when the coach can write their name on the whiteboard knowing what type of game they play is a big comfort.  Hyman’s effort is consistent. How many times in his five seasons as an Oilers has his work ethic lacked? How often does he make a glaring mistake? Babcock is not going to play Hyman on his third line, because he wants to see if the young players can play a top-six role.

It isn’t realistic, nor would it be wise. The Oilers need a good start, and playing Hyman with McDavid and Draisaitl with Podkolzin would be the best approach. Even if Babcock opts to load up McDavid/Draisaitl on home ice, then Hyman anchors the second line, but until he shows he isn’t, Hyman is easily a first-line player in my view and should play there.

— The Oilers will have “captain” skates this week as they get ready for training camp next week. They have physicals on Tuesday, Sept. 15, and will be on the ice on the 16th, 17th, and 18th before hosting the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday the 19th. A reminder about the preseason changes this year: teams (except Ottawa and Montreal) will play four preseason games, and any player who has played 100 NHL regular season games can only play in two preseason games. The Oilers host Winnipeg on the 19th and are in Winnipeg on the 22nd, in Vancouver on the 24th and host Calgary on the 26th. Most of the top-line forwards, defencemen and goalies try to avoid road games, so I’d expect to see the big guns play the two home games.

— With Frederik Andersen injured, I could see Tristan Jarry playing the home games and Devon Levi playing on the road. The challenge of a short preseason is getting a young goalie some preseason action. Levi, 24 years old, is the Oilers’ young goalie who needs to play. Connor Ungar might get half of a game, but the goal in preseason will be to ensure their two NHL goalies are ready for the regular season, so you might not see much of the younger goalies outside of Levi.

— The Oilers could bring in a veteran forward on a professional tryout, but he can only play two preseason games. I did a quick projection of who will play in each game, remembering the team needs to dress eight veterans (minimum 100 NHL games played, or 30 games the previous season) in each game. Remember, this is just a projection based on vets only being able to play two games. Isaac Howard, Colton Dach, Josh Samanski, Quinn Hutson, Shakir Mukhamadullin, and Devon Levi can play more since they have yet to play 100 NHL games.  Of course, the rosters will look different than this, but it is a guideline.

I don’t see a need to bring in a veteran on a PTO who is projected to be a fourth liner. Michael Bunting is the one UFA forward I’d consider signing to an actual NHL contract, as I don’t see him signing a PTO. He is likely in the Jack Roslovic situation where teams are interested but are offering a lower AAV than he was looking for. He could be a bargain signing for a team similar to Roslovic last year.

LeaseBusters is Canada’s premier lease takeover marketplace, helping drivers get out of their current vehicle leases without costly penalties or negative equity. Instead of paying thousands to break a lease, sellers connect with qualified buyers ready to take it over—saving money and avoiding financial stress. Buyers benefit from shorter-term commitments and often better monthly payments, while dealerships retain a replacement customer and leasing companies keep contracts active. It’s a smarter, more efficient solution for everyone involved. Four parties, four wins—only with LeaseBusters. For more information, check out www.LeaseBusters.com.