The Edmonton Oilers may be getting one of their biggest offensive pieces back sooner rather than later.
Zach Hyman, who has been out since the season opener against the Vancouver Canucks, returned to practice with his teammates on Friday morning. It was the first time he had skated with the group since going down with an undisclosed injury.
The Oilers have been hit hard by injuries to open the 2026-27 season. Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, Matt Savoie and Mattias Janmark have not played yet this year, while Jason Dickinson made his season debut on Wednesday.
Even with all of that turnover, Edmonton has still started fast. The club has not lost in regulation and sits second in the Pacific Division with seven points.
Hyman’s return would only add to that momentum. Edmonton is averaging 5.50 goals per game so far, and getting back a forward with Hyman’s scoring touch would give the attack another layer.
The 34-year-old was productive in 2025-26, putting up 31 goals and 21 assists in 58 games. He’s long been valuable around the net, where he finds space and finishes chances, and he’s been a key part of the Oilers’ power play.
Hyman’s first chance to get back into the lineup comes Saturday against the San Jose Sharks in an afternoon matchup. If he’s not ready for that one, Edmonton’s next shot will be Wednesday against the Los Angeles Kings.
For a team already off to a strong start, adding another proven scorer back into the mix would be a welcome boost for head coach Mike Babcock and a roster that is still waiting on several injured forwards to return.
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Evan Bouchard Is Forcing A Big Oilers Debate Early
Evan Bouchard has wasted no time putting himself at the center of the Oilers early-season conversation. Through four games, the defenseman has six goals and 11 points, leading all blueliners in scoring and sitting second on the team in points behind Connor McDavid. He has also been logging a heavy workload while helping drive Edmontons offense, another sign of how much the Oilers are leaning on him right now.
The numbers have been impossible to ignore, and they have naturally reopened a familiar debate around Bouchards game. His offensive impact is obvious, but his defensive play remains the part of the conversation that keeps the Norris Trophy discussion from becoming straightforward. For Edmonton, the question is less about whether he has been one of the NHLs most productive defensemen so far and more about how far that production can carry him if the rest of the profile does not fully match. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers May Have Found More Than Depth In This Trade
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Hallander has also given Edmonton a small but encouraging offensive glimpse in limited NHL usage this season, which only adds to the intrigue around how the Oilers might use him while injuries continue to test their forward depth. Stastneys metrics were solid but unspectacular, so the trade could end up being judged less by what Edmonton gave up than by whether Hallander can translate his strong track record into a larger role. For a team that needs reliable minutes now, the possibility of uncovering a useful center along the way makes the deal worth watching. [Read more 🡒]
Devon Levi Is Giving The Oilers A Real Starter Debate
With Frederik Andersen sidelined, the Oilers have leaned on a goaltending tandem of Devon Levi and Tristan Jarry, and the early returns have made the crease look a lot less settled than it did a few weeks ago. Levi has started three games and has given Edmonton a steady enough presence to keep winning, while Jarry has only had one chance to answer and was left with an overtime loss.
The bigger takeaway for Edmonton is that Levi is quickly turning a short-term necessity into a real conversation about the future. General manager Stan Bowman brought him in from Buffalo with an eye on upside, and the Oilers have reason to like what they are seeing so far, especially with Andersen unavailable and the backup plan still taking shape behind him. [Read more 🡒]