Leafs should now regret letting Zach Hyman walk more so than ever

In July of 2021, Zach Hyman signed a hefty seven-year, $38.5 million contract for the Edmonton Oilers, which officially ended his tenure with the Toronto Maple Leafs, where he spent six seasons with the team.

During his time in Toronto, Hyman was, and is still, known for his net-front presence, as he thrived on rebounds, deflections and was always seen in the face of opposing goaltenders. However, his production has increased since joining the Oilers, as he recorded 27 goals,
27 assists and
54 points in the 2021-22 season, which to that point were all career-highs. The Leafs seemed not miss him a whole lot, as they set a franchise record in points in a season (115).

Hyman seemed to step his game up as in 2022-23, he set new career-highs in scoring, as he tallied 36 goals,
47 assists
83 points. He then had his own Auston Matthews-esque performance in 2023-24, as he scored an impressive 54 goals.

Since the departure of Hyman, the Leafs had recorded 100-plus points (2021-22 to 2024-25), which was impressive as they were near the top of the Atlantic with a couple of their own superstars, Matthews and, at the time, Mitch Marner.

Hyman and the production that he provided since joining the Oilers can be mainly attributed to playing with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, but should still not take away from the fact that he is a solid NHL player who could definitely thrive on any roster and a great piece for Edmonton, who secured a huge role with the team since signing with them.

Was Hyman really missed in Toronto?

From a production standpoint, and as mentioned before, with how many points the team recorded in the first year of Hyman's absence, the Leafs had done better without the likes of Hyman in the lineup. The same could be said about Hyman's production with the Oilers compared to the Leafs, mainly given that he's playing alongside two of the best players in the world in McDavid and Draisaitl. From a fan's standpoint, it could be said that Hyman is missed, due to how he gave it his all on the ice and formed chemistry with the Leafs' group.

The Leafs, when Hyman left, were looking for someone who fit his playstyle. That someone would have to be a player who thrives in front of the net, hustles on all of the plays, and causes trouble for opposing goalies. The good news is that they may have found a player who could now take over the role that Hyman played during his time in Toronto. That player, as of now, could be seen as Matthew Knies, who has been an asset to the Leafs this season, being the scrappy net-front presence that Hyman was.

Both Hyman and the Leafs, respectively, have done well since the split-up. On whether it was worth letting Hyman walk and sign with the Oilers, the Leafs would have to agree on the premise that Knies is developing into a strong roster piece, along with others who play similarly to Hyman.