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NHL fans rallied in support of Zach Hyman amid criticism from hockey analyst Andrew Berkshire, who suggested the Edmonton Oilers forward's success was somehow diminished due to his family's wealth.
Chris Johnston, an NHL Insider for The Athletic NHL, was among those who came to Hyman's defense, emphasizing the undeniable amount of hard work that went into his accomplishments. Johnston's statement resonated with fans, who supported Hyman and pushed back against Berkshire's narrative.
One fan remarked,
"Virtually everyone supports Hyman, social media distorts stuff like this. This is a clown looking for attention."
Another fan echoed Johnston's sentiment, stating,
"Well said Chris. I just meant the support for Hyman wasn’t giving the post so much transaction."
A third fan highlighted the complexity of individual backgrounds, arguing,
"I think it's pretty simple. All people have different backgrounds. It's what they do in the moment that matters. If 50 goals were as simple as resources and linemates then there would be a lot more 50 goal scorers that had played with Crosby, Ovi, and yes even Matthews."
Zach Hyman joins NHL 50-goal club
Zach Hyman recently joined the ranks of NHL players who have scored 50 goals in a single season. He achieved this milestone against the Ottawa Senators, marking his 99th goal in NHL history.
Hyman's feat occurred 3:34 into the second period, deflecting a pass from Connor McDavid.
His journey to 50 goals took him 68 games. He leads the league in 5v5 goals per hour rate with 1.91, surpassing even Auston Matthews. Prior to his tenure with the Oilers, Hyman's highest goal count was 22, achieved during his time at the University of Michigan.
At 31 years and 289 days old, Hyman is the third-oldest player in NHL history to achieve this milestone, after Alex Ovechkin and Phil Esposito. With 13 games remaining in the season, Hyman is on pace to reach 58 goals.
