The Edmonton Oilers took a two games to one series lead in the Western Conference Finals of the 2025 National Hockey League Stanley Cup Playoffs on Sunday. They took the series lead in convincing fashion as they defeated the Dallas Stars 6-1 in game three from Rogers Place in Edmonton, Alberta.
We all know about the Oilers two superstars in centres Connor McDavid of Richmond Hill, Ontario and Leon Draisaitl of Cologne, Germany. McDavid leads all players in points with 17 assists, 22 points, and 53 shots on goal. Draisaitl is second in postseason assists (15), and second in postseason points (21). However, what Toronto’s Zach Hyman, the Oilers’s star left winger is doing in the postseason, is just as impressive. In my opinion, is playing his way into the Conn Smythe Trophy conversation.
Amazing Game Three Stat Line
Hyman was statistically the best Oiler in game three. He had two goals and one assist for three points. He was a +5 with four shots on goal, 10 hits and one blocked shot. The +5 shows that Hyman is playing a complete game, both offensively and defensively. He is also part of an Oilers team that has been excellent even strength in the playoffs.
Postseason Hit Leader by a Wide Margin
Hyman leads all players in the playoffs in hits and it is not even remotely close. He has 109 hits, which is 31 more hits than Florida Panthers centre Sam Bennett of Holland Landing, Ontario, who is second on the list with 78 hits.
Hyman is averaging 7.8 hits per game. The physicality that Hyman is exemplifying is something new to his game. In the regular season. he only had 59 hits in 73 games, which was 0.8 hits per game.
Offensive Skill
Hyman had 54 regular season goals last year. In the playoffs this year, he has five goals and six assists for 11 points in 14 games. He is a +10 with six penalty minutes, one game-winning goal, one power-play point, 29 shots on goal, seven blocked shots, four takeaways, and nine giveaways.
Hyman’s power-play point was a power-play assist and came in game six of the first round against the Los Angeles Kings in a 6-4 Oilers win on May 1. Hyman set up Nugent-Hopkins at 5:55 of the first period, which tied the game at two at the time.
Hyman’s game-winning goal in the 2025 playoffs came on May 6 in a 4-2 Oilers game one win over the Vegas Golden Knights in the second round. Hyman scored from Evander Kane of Vancouver, British Columbia and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins of Burnaby, British Columbia with three minutes and two seconds left in the third period.
Look back at 1984
Most people assumed that Edmonton Oiler center Wayne Gretzky of Brantford, Ontario would win the 1984 Conn Smythe Award because he led all players in the postseason in assists (22), points (35), plus/minus (+18), even strength goals (10), and shots on goal (87). However, the award went to forward Mark Messier of Edmonton, who was recognized for his exceptional defensive play, specifically on Bryan Trottier and Denis Potvin of the New York Islanders. If Messier won the award in 1984, Hyman should be given consideration in 2025 too.
