Zach Hyman says Oilers coach Mike Babcock believed in him when many in Toronto didn't, and he's now playing for him again.
Hyman said in a recent interview that Babcock was a huge influence on his career. The two worked together with the Maple Leafs when Hyman was a young player trying to earn a lineup spot.
The Oilers forward, now 34, described a coach who gave him the opening he needed. "You always need somebody who believes in you," he said, and Babcock was "somebody who believed in me right from the start."
Hyman added that Toronto had its share of doubters early on, people who questioned whether he belonged in the spot he played. Babcock kept putting him on the ice anyway, trusting his game and letting him grow into it.
Babcock reportedly used to call Hyman the hardest worker and best puck digger on the team. For a young player fighting for his place, that kind of praise from the head coach carries a lot of weight.
Hyman also made clear he sees more than a hockey coach. He called Babcock a mentor who pushed him and helped him grow as a person, and said the man he's around today is not the one he knew six or seven years ago.
Is Babcock's second act in Edmonton working?
By Hyman's account, yes. He said the group has enjoyed getting to know Babcock, who has brought "a new light" to the locker room. His own summary: "It's been very positive, so it's been great."
The standings back him up. The Oilers are 15-3-3, first in the Pacific Division, and they've won four straight after a 1-0 win in Toronto on Saturday night. Devon Levi stopped all 19 shots he faced, and Evan Bouchard scored the game-winner.
Babcock himself hasn't oversold it. We noted that he admitted the Oilers' record flatters them, a surprising thing to hear from a coach atop the division.
Connor McDavid, for his part, gave a strong public verdict on Babcock before the trip to Toronto. With Hyman now on record too, the Oilers' two biggest names inside that room are on the same page.
Hyman had a quiet night on the scoresheet in his hometown, with two shots and no points. He has three goals in 10 games this season, two of them on the power play.
Edmonton keeps the road trip going tonight at Philadelphia. Hyman said he was 24 when he first played for Babcock, and by his own count, this second stint is going a lot better than a reunion usually does.
This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence, based on public reports and official sources.
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