Connor McDavid makes his excitement known about $38,500,000 Oilers star's return after 'significant injury'

Connor McDavid was happy to see Zach Hyman return to the Edmonton Oilers lineup on Saturday. The Oilers played against the Carolina Hurricanes, their first meeting of this season.

Hyman played his first game of the season after a significant wrist injury in the 2025 playoffs, which kept him out for the first 19 games this season. He also missed the entire Stanley Cup finals series in the 2025 playoffs, leading to the Oilers' loss in Game 6 to the Florida Panthers.

Connor McDavid spoke to the media after his three-point night against the Hurricanes. When asked about Hyman’s return, McDavid said it was “amazing” to see him playing again.

"Yeah, amazing," McDavid said. "It's just great to see him, obviously. Great to see him playing. Significant injury, and you know I got firsthand to see him work his way back, and it wasn't always easy. You know, it never is.

"Sometimes people forget the human side of it. It's an emotional thing to go through a significant injury like that and to see him back and playing and healthy and moving really well, you know, is definitely uplifting for our group."

Connor McDavid also spoke about Hyman’s presence in the locker room. He said Hyman is a strong leader who brings needed positivity.

"Huge, huge. He's a great leader," McDavid said about Hyman's impact. "Brings a lot of positivity to our room, which is needed, you know. So he's a big part of our team on the ice, big part of our team off the ice, leadership, you name it, he does it. So, great to have him back."

Hyman, who is in the fifth year of his 7-year, $38,500,000 contract, returned on the top line with McDavid and Matthew Savoie. He finished with one assist, two shots, one block, and 11 hits in 23:10 of ice time. He also played on the first power-play unit. Hyman had 27 goals and 44 points last season.

Connor McDavid's another impressive start in 2025-26

Connor McDavid scored two goals and added an assist in Saturday's win. He now has an eight-game point streak with 16 points in that span. He is on pace for another 100-point season. He already has eight 100-point seasons in his career.

Despite that, the Oilers have had an inconsistent start to the year. They have a 9-7-4 record and sit fourth in the Pacific Division. They have shown strong offense in some games, but they still deal with defensive issues. Their road play has been underwhelming, and they remain competitive but need more stability.