The Toronto Maple Leafs will take on the Edmonton Oilers tonight.
This is first game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and Edmonton Oilers since Zach Hyman left the Leafs to join the Oilers.
Now, I am still now sure why someone who is already a millionaire would leave such a good organization for such a poorly run one, nor do I pretend to know what would motivate someone to ditch something they worked on for five years half way to completion to start over in a place that makes Toronto’s winters seem fun by comparison. (all stats naturalstattrick.com).
Why Zach Hyman left the Leafs is a mystery only he and his accountant know. Just kidding. He left for the money because the Oilers saw a role player they just had to have, and before you could say David Clarkson, Hyman was on a train out west.
Here is an exert from an old article titled Letting Zach Hyman Walk Is An Easy Decision:
"He is approaching 30, is injury prone, has more than likely already had his best season, and historically, signing such players is a disaster. On top of avoiding that disaster, one of your 30 rivals will commit to it, which will help you slightly in the long run. Win-win."
The Oilers more than doubled Hyman’s salary and paid him $5.5 million for the next seven years. It’s a contract that says “we’re out of ideas and we hope this helps.” That the Oilers will regret this contract in the coming years of inevitable injury and decline, is the easiest and most accurate prediction I’ll ever make.
While the Oilers are shelling out big bucks for Hyman, the Leafs replaced him for less than 20% of his salary.