While it had been pretty obvious for weeks now that
Zach Hyman was leaving the Toronto Maple Leafs, it became official on Wednesday as he inked a seven-year contract with the Edmonton Oilers.
The 29-year-old Hyman has played his entire 345 career games for the Leafs to this point, so there are obviously some real emotions that come with leaving the city. While he wasn't as skilled as some of his teammates in Toronto, his compete level every shift made him a fan favorite, and he put together a message yesterday thanking Leafs nation for their support during his time there.
«The passion that exudes from Leafs Nation is contagious, and its one of the best places in the world to play because you guys care,» Hyman said in a piece he put together for The Athletic. «So thank you for investing yourselves in the team, and thank you for making a Toronto boy's dream come true.»
Given the salary cap crunch the Leafs were in, they would have had a tough time bringing back Hyman under any circumstances, and weren't able to offer anything similar to the Oilers seven-year, $38.5 million deal. While the term is pretty lengthy for a player his age, there is no doubt he will help Edmonton right now, as he was able to put up 15 goals and 33 points in just 43 games last season.
You can find the rest of his note to Leafs nation attached below.
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