Notes for the Oilers: Matthews has always known Hyman has the potential to score goals.
With 26 goals, which puts him on pace for 50, Auston Matthews, the center for Toronto, knew his former teammate Zach Hyman also had some scoring prowess. Matthews entered the game against Edmonton with 33 goals, giving him 332 in 521 NHL games.
“Not terribly shocking. One of the hardest-working guys I’ve ever played with, he’s always around the net,” Matthews remarked.
“Connor McDavid is the best player, so it helps to play with him, but he can get open, work hard, and battle to get to the net and take advantage of those opportunities.”
Two and a half years after the Oilers signed the former Leafs winger, Hyman is still a valuable addition.
“Not every signing of a free agent is successful,” McDavid stated.
He has exceeded everyone’s expectations from the moment he arrived. He is the leader in our room as well as on the ice. He ought to have been an all-star (this season), in my opinion.
When Hyman was with the Leafs and Toronto swept the Oilers in all three games during the 56-game season (because of Covid), McDavid took a serious interest in the player.
We were eager for them to go. Zach was really competitive, and we played a lot of line matching against him, I just remember that. McDavid remarked, “I didn’t really love it.
As an Oiler, he can’t stop watching Hyman get tap-ins at the far post. It’s like he’s a backboard in a basketball game, as Hyman put it. He manages to get there. To stand there with a guy like (Evan) Bouchard shooting requires a great deal of bravery, McDavid remarked.
And would McDavid ever aim to bank it in by shooting it at Hyman?
McDavid responded, “Nope, I’m always trying to score.”
But if the puck goes off him and in, I suppose it gives us a little more wiggle room. A few teams have tried that, as evidenced by the post. John Tavares of the Leafs has been spotted returning there.
Sherry Bassin, the former general manager of McDavid, was in town for the Leafs game along with a few people who had won a trip in his Alzheimer golf tournament in Ontario.
Was Kris Knoblauch, the coach of the Oilers, as effective in his OHL bench duties in Erie as he is here (20-6)?
“Not at all. Even our intra-squad games were beyond our ability to win,” chuckled Bassin, whose Otters were so bad that they were selected by McDavid in the OHL junior draft.
The 84-year-old Bassin has witnessed the Oilers’ lowest points, including a loss in San Jose right before Jay Woodcroft was fired, and is currently watching them enjoy a 10-game winning streak. He has the pride of a father with Knoblauch and a grandfather with McDavid.
“If Sherry doesn’t bring me to Erie, I’m probably not here (NHL),” stated Knoblauch, the new coach of Erie after Robbie Ftorek was fired.
“I cherish the time I spent with him. He played a significant role in my coaching career. I owe him a great deal. He was the mastermind behind some excellent hockey teams that I had the privilege of coaching. He is generous and tells many tales.
Bassin also kept struggling forward Connor Brown of the Oilers in Erie.
“He’ll be alright. “I instructed him to shoot the puck more,” Bassin remarked.
With Mattias Janmark on the second PK unit, Brown, who has not scored in his first 32 games, has performed admirably in that position.
“He accepted responsibility for our Erie penalty killings. He objected to us giving up on any objectives. He did a good job of breaking the ice, according to Bassin.
Goalie Stuart Skinner of the Oilers, who watches Leon Draisaitl dominate every practice, also observes Matthews, the league’s top goal scorer, to be comparable to Draisaitl in that they are both one-shot scorers.
According to Skinner, “they’re similar in that regard.”
“Everyone has witnessed Matthews’ impressive shooting since joining the league. He’s a unique participant. The good news is that I witness it firsthand every day on our own Leon team, led by Bouch (Bouchard). “I think Matthews will be a good challenge for me,” Skinner remarked.
