Zach Hyman's 700th Game: A Key Piece for Oilers

0:00It's March 22nd. Welcome in. This is NHL News today, where your team meets AI. I'm Corey with the story. Last week, Edmonton Oilers forward, Zach Hyman hit his 700th career regular season NHL game against the Dallas Stars. At 33 years old, he's reaching this milestone later than most. For comparison, Pittsburgh's Sydney Crosby, whose 38 has already played over 1,400 games, despite his own injury issues. Hyman's road to the league took longer, with four years in college hockey and a season in the minors before breaking in full time. He's dealt with several injuries along the way, including a bad wrist issue from last year's playoffs that sidelined him until November. Fans and analysts see Hyman as a key piece for the Oilers since he joined in 2021. His physical style pays off in goals from tough spots, and he's been one of their best values on a seven-year deal worth 5.5 million. Dallas is a season through 20 and 27-28.

1:00This season, even after missing time early, Hyman has 29 goals in 52 games, showing his scoring punch when healthy. Looking ahead, his next contract at age 36 will factor in those injury risks. The Oilers got a right, betting on him long term. He makes them tougher to face and keeps delivering results after 700 games.