Hyman signs seven-year contract with Oilers
Forward played six seasons for Maple Leafs; defenseman Barrie gets three-year deal to return
By
NHL.com @NHLdotcom
The 29-year-old forward scored 33 points (15 goals, 18 assists) in 43 regular-season games with the Toronto Maple Leafs last season, and one goal in seven Stanley Cup Playoff games.
"I think most important to me is to go to a team that has an opportunity to win," Hyman said. "Last year playing in Toronto we played Edmonton a bunch, and I just see so much opportunity and a chance to win the Stanley Cup with the players they have there. That opportunity and the city and the passion and the fan base, I'm just so excited to be joining an organization like Edmonton and I can't wait to get started."
Hyman said the chance to play with NHL MVP Connor McDavid was a factor in his decision to sign with the Oilers.
"Connor McDavid is a special player, he's a generational-type player," Hyman said. "For me, I've gotten the opportunity to play with great players in the past. For me, it's about bringing my work ethic every day, being consistent, and trying to create as much space as I can for the guys that I play with. With Connor, he's a guy that takes advantage of space, his speed is off the charts, and if I can create space for him, I think everybody in the world knows what he's capable of doing.
"If I'm lucky enough to play with him, I'm just going to go out there and play my game and try to give him the puck as much as possible and trying to give him as many second and third opportunities, because I think he's so good at creating things by himself, if I can continue to get the puck back to him and get it back in his hands, we'll be in good shape."
Selected by the Florida Panthers in the third round (No. 123) of the 2010 NHL Draft, Hyman scored 185 points (86 goals, 99 assists) in 345 regular-season games with the Maple Leafs, and 13 points (five goals, eight assists) in 32 playoff games.
"He's a guy that can play up and down the lineup, play right wing, play left wing, he can play with skilled players and he can play a grinding game." Oilers general manager Ken Holland said. "Maybe his greatest trait is his compete, his work ethic. He's a forechecker, he's relentless, he's on the puck and I think we needed, along with Warren Foegele, we have two forwards that are really going to get in the forecheck and try to create more pressure in the offensive zone so that we're more than a rush team. We want to get in the forecheck as well, so that's what Zach brings."
Tyson Barrie signed a three-year contract to remain with the Oilers. The 30-year-old, who was an unrestricted free agent, led NHL defensemen with 48 points (eight goals, 40 assists) in 56 regular-season games last season and had one assist in four playoff games.
"It's great to be back," Barrie said. "Connor called me this morning and a couple of boys texted me. It's nice to be wanted. I'm good buddies with all of them and they're all great players. We have a good thing going, we have a good group of guys, and the sky's the limit."
Selected by the Colorado Avalanche in the third round (No. 64) of the 2009 NHL Draft, Barrie has scored 394 points (88 goals, 306 assists) in 610 regular-season games with the Oilers, Maple Leafs and Avalanche and 15 points (one goal, 14 assists) in 30 playoff games.
Defenseman Cody Ceci signed a four-year contract with Edmonton, and forward
Derek Ryan
signed a two-year contract. Foegele was acquired by the Oilers
in a trade
with the Carolina Hurricanes for defenseman
Ethan Bear
.
