There is an obvious reason Zach Hyman remains one of the more intriguing Edmonton Oilers players heading into the 2026-27 fantasy hockey season: even when regression appears inevitable, his situation keeps giving him opportunities to beat it.
My early projection has Hyman finishing with 37 goals, 29 assists and 66 points in 74 games for the Edmonton Oilers.
That would represent a modest step backward in scoring efficiency without taking away what continues to make Hyman valuable in fantasy hockey. He scored 31 goals and 52 points in only 58 games last season, putting him on an 82-game pace of roughly 44 goals and 74 points.
The question isn’t whether Hyman can score goals. We already know he can.
The real question is whether fantasy managers should expect his shooting percentage to remain near last year’s 19.5%, or whether a little regression finally pulls his goal total down.
My answer: expect some regression, but don’t underestimate the Connor McDavid effect.
Zach Hyman 2026-27 Fantasy Hockey Projection
Zach Hyman Career NHL Stats
| Type | GP | G | A | P | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Season | 470 | 149 | 215 | 364 | -87 |
| Playoffs | 10 | 4 | 2 | 6 | -7 |
Why Zach Hyman Can Still Be a Fantasy Hockey Difference-Maker
Here’s the statistical argument that stands out to me.
Hyman averaged 0.534 goals per game last season. Carry that rate over a full 82 games and you’re looking at approximately 44 goals. He also averaged roughly 0.90 points per game, which translates to about 74 points over 82 games.
I don’t think fantasy managers should simply pencil in those numbers.
Hyman converted 19.5% of his 159 shots last season. That’s an extremely productive finishing rate and represents the biggest regression variable in my projection.
Zach Hyman 2026-27 Projection vs. Last Season
Zach Hyman’s 2025-26 numbers look even more impressive when adjusted over a full season. However, simply carrying his scoring rate forward would ignore potential shooting-percentage regression and games-played risk. Here is how last season’s production compares with my 2026-27 Edmonton Oilers fantasy hockey projection.
The biggest number to watch is Hyman’s shooting percentage. He does not need to repeat a 19.5% conversion rate to remain a major fantasy asset, particularly if his shot volume climbs toward 200 and he continues receiving premium opportunities around the Oilers’ power play.
And that’s before considering Edmonton’s biggest fantasy cheat code.
If Hyman remains involved on the Oilers’ top power-play unit alongside Connor McDavid, Leon Draisaitl, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Evan Bouchard, the quality of his scoring chances could remain exceptional. Hyman doesn’t need to manufacture every scoring opportunity himself. His ability to work the front of the net, retrieve pucks and finish plays around the crease is particularly valuable when McDavid and Draisaitl are forcing defenders and penalty killers out of position.
The Data Behind My Zach Hyman Projection
This is where my projection differs from simply extrapolating his previous season.
His raw 82-game pace would produce approximately 44 goals, 30 assists and 74 points.
I’m applying three adjustments.
First is games played. I’m using 74 games rather than assuming perfect health across an 82-game schedule.
Second is shooting regression. Replicating a 19.5% shooting percentage isn’t something I want to build into a conservative fantasy forecast.
Third is Edmonton’s offensive environment. Hyman doesn’t play in an average situation. His potential exposure to McDavid, Draisaitl and Edmonton’s power play gives him a higher scoring floor than an equivalent winger on a less dangerous offensive team.
That leaves me at:
37 goals + 29 assists = 66 projected points.
My reasonable range would be approximately 62-72 points, with the upside case approaching 40 goals if Hyman stays healthy and his power-play role remains intact.
From a fantasy perspective, I actually value the goal total more than the raw point projection. There are plenty of NHL forwards capable of reaching 60-plus points. There are considerably fewer who can give managers 35-plus goals while also producing shots and power-play goals.
That’s why I would still be comfortable targeting Hyman in fantasy drafts even if other managers become concerned about age or shooting-percentage regression.
The regression risk is real. So is the environment he plays in.
For fantasy hockey, that makes Zach Hyman one of the more interesting risk-versus-reward Edmonton Oilers forwards entering 2026-27.
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