Hyman Still Injured For Oilers: Who Will Step Up?

Zach Hyman got injured during the Edmonton Oilers' Stanley Cup Final run last season and he is still dealing with the fallout of that. He is still rehabbing from his playoff injury, per Ryan Rishaug, and is expected to be out until early November. This isn't great news for the Oilers, but they have come back from much worse the past two seasons to go on great runs.

In the meantime while Hyman gets healthy, someone is going to have to step up and play not only top-6 minutes, but shift up to the top power play. Corey Perry isn't on the team to take on the latter.

The Oilers got younger and faster and brought in some players who can absolutely step up and perform. Matthew Savoie has already looked very impressive and everyone in the organization, as well as fans, should be excited about his full time arrival in the NHL. The 21-year-old has played just five games in the NHL, four with the Oilers last season and he looked good in that short time. As a rookie in the AHL, Savoie put up 19 goals and 54 points in 66 games, which is impressive. Edmonton doesn't want to throw him right in the fire, but he will get a top-6 look, likely beside Leon Draisaitl.

Andrew Mangiapane was the big signing for the Oilers this offseason and there is no doubt that he will fit into the top-6. At the start of training camp, he is skating alongside Connor McDavid on the top line, but these could just be test lines to kick things off. Mangiapane can absolutely score, he just needs the opportunity to shoot more. He will definitely get it with McDavid or Draisaitl, but as a net front player on the power play, that is up for debate.

I think Isaac Howard is going to have a softer introduction to the NHL unless he quickly shows he can be a dynamic game changer for the Oilers early in the season. He is slated to be a bottom-6 player in his rookie season and he will make the Oilers, but I would also like to see what he can do with one of the Oilers' elite centers as Howard can put the puck in the back of the net. He's too small to be net front on the power play though.

The Oilers have a lot of weapons that are interchangeable. David Tomasek will likely draw into the lineup for a good chunk of the time Hyman is out and probably beyond, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins can play center on the third line or the wing in the top-6, Vasily Podkolzin will play with Draisaitl, but is also written in as the top power-play replacement for Hyman to play net front and hunt pucks in the meantime, while Kasperi Kapanen had a good playoffs and proved he works well beside Draisaitl too.

This is a deep forward group for the Oilers with options to test in training camp and at the start of the season. I don't think one thing will be set, but maybe the most important is the replacement on the top power play since Edmonton dominates there as well as the best linemates to give McDavid proper help.