Zach Hyman is good at Ice Hockey

[PinkFly]

He's extremely underrated and deserves to be next to Matthews. Babcock sees something amazing that most people miss: his ability to take a beating. Hyman can go into the dirty areas and come out unscathed even if he's getting battered. I really don't understand the hate he gets. I enjoy watching him.

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[ponder]

Agreed. He’s got an amazing motor, he’s great at winning puck battles, and very good defensively. He’s mediocre offensively, but his “puck retrieval and cycle” game complements Matthews and Nylander well - he wins the puck back and helps maintain possession, so that Matthews and Nylander can make magic happen with the puck.

I don’t like the line when the other winger is lower skilled, i.e. Hyman/Matthews/Brown. However, Hyman is a very good complement to Matthews/Nylander, it’s a great line, and Hyman plays his role on it well.

 

[ponder]

Also, remember when the team was filled with skilled-but-soft players like Raymond, Connolly, Lombardi, Stajan, Wellwood, Hagman, over-the-hill-Kaberle, etc. Those teams were so painful to watch, we wouldn’t have KILLED for some high hustle, possession driving, 2-way players like Hyman. Now that we have guys like this, it’s all complaints :/

 

[Mr Hockey]

He does take a pounding like man! haha

 

[Mikeyg]

So let me get this garbage straight...

The plug who is/has:

SIXTH on the team at "getting pucks back"
2nd on the team in forward ice time, plays with the best 2 players yet is 8th in points among forwards
a LOWER shooting percentage than roman ******* polak
kills more plays and doesn't think the game at a high enough level to play with matthews
heres a big one: brings down the production of his linemates, (compare matthews' production with and without him)

deserves to play with a top 5 player in the league because he can "take a beating" and is "a real gud pro"....

yeah you can take a lap. Dude is a 4th line talent and needs to be displaced.

 

[Liminality]

I still think I'd want to see them try a line of Hyman-Matthews-Marner.

Also, Roman Polak has 9.1 shooting % so far this year while Hyman's is 9 shooting %. That's higher than Leivo, Marner, Gardiner, Rielly. Not to mention Nylander has a shooting % of 9.1 too. Not sure how it's a stat against him at all, especially considering it's up from his last years % of 6.4.

Hyman is still on pace for 40 points, that's not bad considering it's his 2nd full year and what else he brings.

 

[Nithoniniel]

He's pretty decent, and is having a good season.

Also, for the millionth time by now:

* "Hyman is actually a fourth liner and kills offense on that line!" If he keeps it up, he'll likely end up with top line production discounting PP time.
* "That's only because he plays with Matthews and Nylander!" Well, if you compare him against other players who get to play with two studs, he still comes out looking pretty good. TJ Oshie playing with Bäckström and Ovechkin had similar production, for example. Getting 40 points without PP time isn't for granted no matter who you play with.

Of course, this will get ignored by people who simply want to dislike Hyman regardless. Why try to have an informed opinion when you can simply be angry in vain?

 

[Rogie]

So let me get this garbage straight...

The plug who is/has:

SIXTH on the team at "getting pucks back"
2nd on the team in forward ice time, plays with the best 2 players yet is 8th in points among forwards
a LOWER shooting percentage than roman ******* polak
kills more plays and doesn't think the game at a high enough level to play with matthews
heres a big one: brings down the production of his linemates, (compare matthews' production with and without him)

deserves to play with a top 5 player in the league because he can "take a beating" and is "a real gud pro"....

yeah you can take a lap. Dude is a 4th line talent and needs to be displaced.

I think Liminality addressed the shooting % thing clearly.

Actually, nhl.com states he is tied for 5th in take-aways (assume that is 'getting pucks back') that's pretty good no.

He's also (among forwards):
3rd in ES points - ONLY Matthews/Nylander have more
3rd in hits;
3rd in blocks;
10th in giveaways (lower is better here)

So, in some VERY important categories - THE MAIN ONE BEING ES POINTS - he is 3RD among forwards. Not 4th line material AT ALL.

 

[Mess]

Hyman is the Leafs best forechecker, Pker (threat to score SH), and one of the best defensively sound players on the roster.

While he doesn't possess the most offensive skill by far, his 200 ft game and aggressive puck hounding ability makes him valuable to the Leafs and its easy to see why he plays with Auston as it allows the coach to play the line head to head against anyone without fear its a liability.

 

[Hockey Crazy]

This forechecking ability is a myth. All I see are plays dying on his stick. He skates himself into a corner then loses the puck...

 

[NikoPopp]

I dont hate Hyman, I just wish they would try and put someone who can pass the puck to Nylander / Matthews on the wing. Maybe try Marleu there. Its frustrating to see Hyman just go into the boards with the puck all the time instead of making a play

 

[Nithoniniel]

This forechecking ability is a myth. All I see are plays dying on his stick. He skates himself into a corner then loses the puck...

His forechecking ability is a myth based on two arguments that have nothing to do with forechecking? Yeah, sounds about right.

 

[ACC1224]

Hard to complain about him this year.

 

[SHANNYPLAN]

He brings it every night, that being said would like to see how he does with Kadri, and pull Marleau up to the Matthews line

 

[Mess]

I wish more players brought his lunch bucket blue collar worker attitude and persistence and work ethic to the rink more often.

Coaches love players that compete hard in all zones, and are willing to engage and give an honest and consistent effort each game and even each shift..

Hyman would be the poster child that epitomizes that, and its easy to see why the coach appreciates it!!

 

[deletethis]

Truth bomb: his father's questionable ethics of turning not-for-profit rep hockey into a lucrative business enterprise has a far reaching echo. Also his father buying a scouting bureau to assure that his son was drafted seemed dodgy. I too was predisposed to dislike the player but I can't deny an admiration for the industrious and tenacious nature of his game. And his hockey abilities are sound. The 3rd wheel with Matthews and Nylander should be a player like Hyman.

 

[WatchOut]

Zach Hyman is a good player but not suited for the first line, no matter how good you are on the forecheck. All he does is dump and chase the puck when it have been proved that carrying the puck leads to more offensive and not only that when that line is going on the cycle and just dominating. He is never part of the passing or any of the plays, the best thing he can do is screen the goalie. But I will say that he says made some good plays in the o-zone, just hope he isn't stuck on the line for the years to come, as he would be more suited on kadri's lines.

 

[Dog]

Think he fits the need but for his sake and the team can not hurt to see some new lines. That is not against him as he does he job very well. He also wears one of my favorite numbers of 11 and is also gemini like me.

 

[Kamiccolo]

I wish more players brought his lunch bucket blue collar worker attitude and persistence and work ethic to the rink more often.

Coaches love players that compete hard in all zones, and are willing to engage and give an honest and consistent effort each game and even each shift..

Hyman would be the poster child that epitomizes that, and its easy to see why the coach appreciates it!!

Naruto fans know there are two types of people.

Geniuses who are born with talents, and those who will outwork those people with natural gifts.

I dislike Hyman playing with Matthews, but he's managed to beat a lot of talented players out of that spot simply through hard work on and off the ice. At the very least it deserves some praise.

 

[Trapper]

Naruto fans know there are two types of people.

Geniuses who are born with talents, and those who will outwork those people with natural gifts.

I dislike Hyman playing with Matthews, but he's managed to beat a lot of talented players out of that spot simply through hard work on and off the ice. At the very least it deserves some praise.

Hyman is an important part of this team and he will be moving forward to contender. Along with Brown, this is they type of depth you need to win it all.
Now with that being said, due to the holes we still have in the organization, he's not in the best role he could be. Due to the fact that some players need to be sheltered or serve only one function, this is how we are structured.
But when we start to find those missing pieces, he's one of the pieces I want in the 12 forwards.

 

[Willchel Marlynder]

Naruto fans know there are two types of people.

Geniuses who are born with talents, and those who will outwork those people with natural gifts.

I dislike Hyman playing with Matthews, but he's managed to beat a lot of talented players out of that spot simply through hard work on and off the ice. At the very least it deserves some praise.

Naruto fans will also tell you working hard will only get you so far. Take Naruto Sasuke and Guy. Guy worked so so hard to get to where he was as he couldn't use ninjutsu, but at the end of the day he could never catch up to Naurto and Saskue, heck no one can, because one had nine tales Chakra and the other had OP eyes. Hard work will only get you so far and that is just a reality of life. You're going to need talent or something that gives you an edge over you're opponent.

As for beating people out of that spot how exactly? How did he beat Marleau or JVR or even Kapanen when they don't get an opportunity to play with Matthews and Nylander? Nylander beat brown for his top spot. Hyman was gifted time with Matthews due to a factor of, like you, said hardwork but the dynamic of the team also plays a role. Babcock likes our third line to be defensively responsible (even if it is a black whole offensives) so Marleau is there. JVR-Bozak-Marner works more often than not so he is there. Kapanen can't get into the lineup because extremely important players for the Leafs future like Komarov and Martin draw in the line up every night. Basically Hyman is the only option for the coach which is good for Babcock as he loves guys like Hyman (see Abdelkader)

 

[LeafsLegendAkiBerg]

Does anyone know of any statistics that would show how many points Matthews' wingers get on the first line compared to other top lines in the league? I'm curious how often Hyman assists/scores off of a play with Matthews and where he ranks among other top player's line mates.

 

[Nineteen67]

William Nylander loves him.......

 

[LeafsLegendAkiBerg]

William Nylander loves him.......

I wouldn't be surprised if Nylander has passed the puck to Hyman less than five times this season.

 

[leafs10101]

Why isn't Connor Brown playing on the 1st line with Matthews and Nylander if we want hustle on a skill line?