As of now, Zach Hyman is not a part of Team Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics. But a lot can happen between now and February 4. Case in point: Brayden Point is out with an injury that could affect his ability to play. He’s one of many players who have either been hurt or come close, and that could require Team Canada to make some alterations.
The way Hyman is playing of late, he should be on the short list of players who get a call.
The Sportsnet panel talked about Hyman’s chances on Saturday night. Hyman scored again as the Oilers beat the Vancouver Canucks 6-0. It was his 17th goal in 29 games.
Kevin Bieksa noted that the problem was that Hyman missed the first 20 games of the season. He came back in mid-November, but since he’s been back 17 and 29 days, which is a 48-goal pace. He’s absolutely on fire.
Zach Hyman Edmonton Oilers return
Elliotte Friedman asked if the panel saw Point as a winger or a center and noted that if Team Canada views Point as a winger, or feels they have the right fill-ins at center, Hyman is 100 percent someone who can fill that role. He’s got chemistry with Connor McDavid, he’s as hot as it gets right now, and he offers a ton of other attributes that Team Canada would like. However, they’ve been on record saying that replacements will be selected based on how they fill the role of the player they are replacing.
It’s a no-brainer that McDavid would be all for that decision. He struggled at times to find chemistry with linemates at the Four Nations tournament, and if bringing Hyman in also gets McDavid clicking, that’s a big win for Team Canada.
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