More help for Edmonton Oilers, all-star winger incoming

This in from Bob Stauffer, host of Oilers Now, news that Edmonton all-star winger Zach Hyman will be back from injury and practicing with the team on Friday, with his return date for the ice possibly next Tuesday against Los Angeles.

“I expect him here tomorrow to practice with the Oilers,” Stauffer said. “I don’t know if he’ll play Saturday. It’s a matinee game, but I do expect him in to practice tomorrow. I could see him playing maybe Tuesday against LA.”

Stauffer said he expected that newcomer Filip Hallander is also going to play for the Oilers, with winger Max Jones coming out, Hallander on a line with Josh Samanski and Isaac Howard.

In other injury news, Stauffer said Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is still out with a lower body injury and winger Matt Savoie is still out several more weeks with a lower body injury. Centre Colton Dach is out at least a week, Stauffer said.

My take

1. Excellent news that Hyman is coming back — and one would hope he’s in no hurry to comeback before he’s fully healed up. Hyman played Team Canada quality hockey last year when he was healthy, but was mediocre when he was playing hurt in March and the same in the playoffs.

Edmonton needs a fit and healthy Hyman, not a banged up one.

2. I can see the Oilers taking out Max Jones to fit in the newcomer Hallander, who is known for playing with both skill and energy. After a strong March and April for the Oilers, Jones has been out of sync so far this year, not able to get his hitting/forechecking game going yet.

At the same time, Alex Formenton has also struggled at even strength to win battles and make plays so far. Formenton is part of an Oilers PK that has also struggled mightily, but perhaps coach Mike Babcock will want to stick with him so Formenton and his PK partners can attempt to sort out what ails that unit.

3. Edmonton is off to a good start, but it’s mainly due to its top players going supernova. As good as Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl and Evan Bouchard have been in the past, they’ve rarely, if ever, been this dominant, even over a short stretch of games.

Goalie Devon Levi has also been superlative the last two games. It feels like a long time since any Oilers goalie put together two good games in a row, doesn’t it?

4. Together on the ice at even strength, McDavid and Draisaitl have scored seven goals and not given up a goal. But without McDavid or Draisaitl on the ice, the Oilers have scored three and given up seven.

The Oilers have scored 11 and given up one at even strength with Bouchard on the ice, and are three goals for, eight against without him.

At the Cult of Hockey

Player grades: Oilers goalie and top d-man crush it as Edmonton storms Anaheim Ducks in 5-2 win