HUGE LOST: Maple Leafs Re-Signing $38.5 Million key man
Chris Johnston, an NHL insider and reporter, considers the Toronto Maple Leafs’ failure to re-sign Zach Hyman to be the greatest mistake in the organization’s history.
Hyman became a free agent in 2021 after spending six years with the Maple Leafs. During free agency, he left his hometown team and signed a seven-year, $38.5 million contract with the Edmonton Oilers.
Since joining Edmonton, Hyman’s performance has improved significantly, playing a crucial role in the Oilers’ push to Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Final. With Hyman’s success, Johnston expressed on social media that Toronto’s decision not to re-sign him stands as the organization’s biggest error.
Looking back, I'm not sure the #leafs have ever made a bigger mistake than letting Zach Hyman walk away. That's an all-timer the organization never recovers from.
— Chris Johnston (@reporterchris) June 22, 2024
“Looking back, I’m not sure the #leafs have ever made a bigger mistake than letting Zach Hyman walk away. That’s an all-timer the organization never recovers from,” Johnston wrote on X.
Johnston’s bold statement is particularly striking considering the Maple Leafs have been around since 1917. Hyman has become a pivotal player for the Oilers, who have a chance to win the Stanley Cup on June 24 after winning three consecutive games to force a Game 7.
In the past season, Hyman tallied 54 goals and 23 assists, totaling 77 points in 80 games. During the playoffs, he has contributed 16 goals and 6 assists, accumulating 22 points in 24 games.
Maple Leafs Fans Disagree With Reporters Take
Following Johnston’s claim that the Maple Leafs’ biggest mistake was letting Hyman leave in free agency, fans took to social media to disagree with him.
In the year that Hyman departed, he had recorded just 15 goals and 18 assists for 33 points in 43 games, and his career-high was 21 goals before joining Edmonton.
Google Tuukka Rask.
— Mark Seed (@myownadvisor) June 22, 2024
“A little over-the-top Chris given how bad he was in the playoffs for the Leafs and had a career high of 41 points with Matthews and Tavares as his Cs on every shift. It’s not like they were winning with him…,” a fan added.
“Man, just put it on the list, in terms of mistakes it’s probably ranked number 27 or something,” another fan wrote.
Many Maple Leafs fans also cited the Tuukka Rask trade as one of the team’s biggest mistakes ever. Regarding Hyman, fans believe that the contract Edmonton offered him is something Toronto wouldn’t have matched, especially since he hadn’t shown he could be a 50-goal scorer with the Maple Leafs.
If losing Zach Hyman is the Leafs biggest mistake I think they’ll be ok. Great player but cmon now lol, a lot worse can happen.
— Mr. Tenkrat (@PeterTenkrat) June 22, 2024
“It was a pretty justifiable contract to walk away from. He was a completely different player in Toronto. You could sign players like that long term, but more often than not, those deals end up being regrettable. Just look at the Islanders,” a fan wrote.
“Lol, I refuse to believe that a professional hockey media guy would actually believe this and not be farming for engagement. Well done,” another fan wrote.
Hyman still has four years remaining on the seven-year deal he signed with the Oilers.
Hyman Says Leaving Maple Leafs Was an ‘Easy Decision’
Despite being from Toronto, Zach Hyman made the decision to leave his hometown team in the summer of 2021 and sign with the Oilers.
Before Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals, Hyman was asked about his departure from Toronto, to which he responded that the decision was easy because the Maple Leafs did not express interest in bringing him back.
“Yeah, it’s easy when it’s really not your decision. It was an easy decision for me. We closed the book on Toronto, I’ve said it multiple times, Edmonton immediately was the place that I had my eye on. It was the best decision I have ever made,” Hyman said to the media on June 7.
The reasons why the Maple Leafs chose not to re-sign Hyman remain uncertain. However, since joining the Oilers, Hyman has thrived and now has the opportunity to become a Stanley Cup champion on June 24.