Zach Hyman reveals Connor McDavid's gesture towards him following season-ending wrist injury - "That's when I broke down"

Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers begin their quest for revenge against the Florida Panthers in the 2025 Stanley Cup Finals on Wednesday night.

The heartbreak of last year’s 2-1 Game 7 loss has not gone away for the Oilers. However, capturing the Stanley Cup one year later would make it hurt a lot less than a second consecutive finals defeat.

Edmonton rolled through the Western Conference this postseason, compiling a dominant 12-4 record. Despite some roster tweaks, the core of the Oilers remains the same and is ready to break through on hockey’s biggest stage.

Unfortunately, one key member of that core will not be available to play. Zach Hyman suffered an injury in Game 4 of the Western Conference Finals and is out for the remainder of the playoffs. On Wednesday, Hyman spoke about the devastation of his season ending and revealed that Connor McDavid was the first to console him in the locker room.

"Yeah, it was a moment, obviously, as a player where you're heartbroken," Hyman said. "I haven't, like, fully grasped it yet. And I was just sitting in the kitchen, kind of eating and not eating, just trying to figure out what was going on.

"And I think I knew in that moment that it was done, and my season was done. He was the first one to kind of come over, like in between the periods, brought me over, and gave me a big hug. Honestly, that's when I broke down. He meant a lot."

Check out his comments from the 6:32 mark below.

Zach Hyman has three years remaining on the seven-year, $38.5 million contract he signed with the Oilers in free agency in 2021.

Connor McDavid is on a mission to win the Stanley Cup

The drive and leadership of Connor McDavid have been on full display for the hockey world to see in recent years.

McDavid has always been seen as a mild-mannered, quiet guy, but he’s blossomed into one of hockey’s top captains and leaders.

General manager Stan Bowman acknowledged that and praised McDavid’s drive during media availability on Tuesday. TSN hockey insider Chris Johnston shared his comments on X (formerly Twitter).

"This is his singular focus... Right now he's on a mission," Bowman said.

Connor McDavid and the Oilers are ready for Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals against the Florida Panthers on Wednesday night in Edmonton. The puck drops at 8 p.m. EST.