Toronto Maple Leafs: Zach Hyman continues to provide great value
By Brad Vos
Zach Hyman does not get the same level of hype as other star players on the Toronto Maple Leafs and yet he is one of the most indispensable players on the team.
While Auston Matthews, Mitch Marner and Frederik Andersen are certainly worthy of praise in Leafs Nation, Hyman is the glue that holds it all together.
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The winger does a little bit of everything for the Maple Leafs and is one of the hardest-working players on the team.
"“It’s something that I need to do to be successful and to be effective,” Hyman said to reporters. “I need to bring that energy and the work ethic every night and that’s what makes me a successful player.”"
He also opened the scoring in Monday night’s 3-0 win over the Edmonton Oilers.
https://twitter.com/MapleLeafs/status/1366592067837820930?s=20
Toronto Maple Leafs: Hyman continues to be greatest bargain in the NHL
The Toronto native did not hear his name called until the fifth round, 123rd overall, in the 2010 NHL entry draft. It was not the Leafs, but the Florida Panthers who selected him that day.
Hyman came to Toronto in what seemed like a minor trade on June 19, 2015, in exchange for Gregg McKegg who is still playing with the Boston Bruins but has not had the kind of impact Hyman has.
The 28-year-old is in the final year of a contract that comes with a cap hit of just $2.25 million, according to Cap Friendly.
The Maple Leafs are getting super-sized value for that deal as Hyman ranks sixth on the team in points with 13. He is also the leader among all Leafs in hits with 39 and ranks second among forwards with 15 blocked shots this season, per Hockey Reference.
Given his overall value to the team and age, re-signing Hyman should be the top priority for the Maple Leafs in the offseason. With the team’s salary cap constraints, general manager Kyle Dubas will need to pull another rabbit out of his hat to make it work.
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Do you think Zach Hyman is one of the most valuable players on the Maple Leafs? Do you agree that re-signing him will be the biggest priority in the offseason? Let us know in the comments below.