Zach Hyman Returns as Oilers Finally Clear Out the Medical Ward

The Edmonton Oilers are finally getting some good news from the medical staff instead of another reason to panic. Zach Hyman is officially returning to the lineup on Saturday night against the Utah Mammoth after missing six games with a lingering preseason issue.

Getting Hyman back is a massive relief for an Edmonton squad that has been operating with a depleted deck. Daily Faceoff reports that defenseman Jake Walman and forward Colton Dach are also very likely to suit up, turning a brutal injury report into a sudden influx of reinforcements.

"Daily Faceoff reported that Hyman will play, while Dach and Walman are very likely to return."

Hyman tried to tough it out in the season opener against the Vancouver Canucks before the team finally shut him down to heal properly. When you are a guy who lives in the dirty areas of the ice and banks 50-goal seasons by absorbing cross-checks, playing at less than 100 percent is just bad business.

Walman returning from his upper-body injury gives the blue line a much-needed pulse, while Dach coming off injured reserve means the front office actually has to do some roster math. Activating Dach requires a corresponding move, which is the kind of salary cap gymnastics that keeps general managers awake at night.

For anyone staring at the odds board, Edmonton getting three regular contributors back completely changes the math for this matchup in Salt Lake City. Hyman alone swings the offensive ceiling, making those anytime goalscorer props look a lot more interesting now that he is fresh and ready to park himself in the crease.

The Oilers still have Ryan Nugent-Hopkins waiting in the wings for a return next week, but this Saturday is the first real step toward fielding an actual NHL roster again. If Hyman and Walman can hit the ground running against Utah, Edmonton might finally start looking like the juggernaut everyone expected.