"Biased" Connor McDavid makes $38,500,000 Oilers forward's case to be on Team Canada's radar for 2026 Olympics

Familiarity is back in the Edmonton Oilers lineup in the past few days. Captain Connor McDavid has had help from the usual pairing of Zach Hyman and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins, manning the wings on the first line and the results are definitely showing.

Zach Hyman, signed to a seven-year, $38.50 million contract, recorded his sixth career hat trick during Thursday's 4-1 win over the Detroit Red Wings to close a successful homestand, where the Oilers recorded 7 points from 5 games.

Connor McDavid, who assisted all four of Edmonton's goals, spoke highly of his linemate during his postgame presser on Thursday.

“He’s playing well, obviously, it was a big night for him, playing well, scoring three. It’s great for his confidence, for him to start feeling good, it’s important,” McDavid said. “It’s my job to be an impact player in the game and to help move the needle for us and to generate chances."

Since Hyman's season debut on Nov. 15, after nursing a hand injury sustained during last season's playoffs, the Oilers are sixth in 5-on-5 goals per 60 minutes, ninth in shooting percentage, and sixth in expected goals per 60 minutes.

This has increased the chatter of a possible Team Canada call-up for the upcoming Olympics for Hyman, as his form has rubbed off on his captain, who has 21 points since Nov. 15. Having the luxury of playing alongside his club teammate will immensely help McDavid in Milan.

“Obviously I’m biased, but I think all of our Oiler guys should be in the conversation,” McDavid said when asked about Hyman's chances of being added to the Olympics roster.

Zach Hyman not thinking about Team Canada opportunity

Zach Hyman is looking to stay focused on the task at hand, which is to keep producing for the Oilers.

"I don't even think about it anymore," Hyman admitted during his presser. "You can make probably three or four elite teams with the Canadian lineup, right? So, it would be a massive honor. And if you're not selected, just to be in the conversation is an honor. "To be at that camp in the summertime was an honor. And coming off an injury, obviously, a little bit more of an uphill battle probably, but I feel like I'm playing some of my best now and feel pretty normal. So, just going to continue to play. That's it."

After being in consideration for the longest time, Hyman was left off the Canadian team during the Four Nations Face Off tournament back in February, owing to a slow start to the season. He is one regular season removed from a 54-goal campaign, and a further 16 during the playoffs, that helped the Oilers reach the 2024 Stanley Cup final.

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Edited by R. Nikhil Parshy