Edmonton Oilers forward Zach Hyman does not have a concrete return date after undergoing surgery for a dislocated wrist but hopes to be back for the start of the 2025-26 season.

"I haven't set a date or anything like that,” Hyman said Monday at his charity golf tournament. "Once you set a date, you get disappointed if you don't play on the date. I hope to play on opening night."

Hyman, 33, sustained the wrist injury, which involved multiple torn ligaments, on a hit from Dallas Stars forward Mason Marchment in Game 4 of the Western Conference Final on May 27. The Toronto native underwent surgery and did not play in the Stanley Cup Final.

The Oilers went on to lose in six games to the Florida Panthers, the second straight season Edmonton has lost the Cup Final to the Panthers.

"It was hard in the final not being able to help, you feel helpless," Hyman said. "It's not common to be watching, especially in games like that where you want to be involved. I got a feel for it as a manager almost from the top, which was not fun. Watching those games was super stressful. When you are playing in it, you are not stressed at all, you're just playing."

Hyman scored 27 goals and 44 points in 73 regular-season games last season, adding five goals and 11 points in 15 playoff games before his injury. He finished fifth on the team in both goals and points during the playoffs. While Hyman was unable to replicate the 16 goals he scored in the Oilers’ run to the Cup Final in 2023-24, he contributed in other ways and led the club in hits with 111 in 15 postseason games.

After last year’s Cup Final loss, the Oilers began the regular season 6-7-1 before fighting back to finish third in the Pacific Division. Next season, Hyman believes the team will hit the ground running.

"I think this year was a little different," Hyman said. "We will go into this coming year with a little bit more motivation. The first year was pretty heartbreaking, going down 3-0, coming back all the way and then losing a tight one in Game 7. I think this one we will be able to get going right away."

The Oilers will come back with a new forward group next season following the departures of Corey Perry and Connor Brown, who signed free-agent contracts with the Los Angeles Kings and New Jersey Devils, respectively. They will be replaced by former Calgary Flames forward Andrew Mangiapane and former Ottawa Senators first-round draft pick, Curtis Lazar.

Mangiapane, 29, scored 14 goals and 28 points in 81 games with the Washington Capitals last season. The Toronto native scored a career-high 35 goals with the Flames in 2021-22. Lazar had two goals and five points in 48 games with the Devils last season.

"You want to bring everybody back every year and run it back every year, but this is the nature of sports," Hyman said. "I'm going into my eleventh year, so it's always sad to see teammates go, but you realize this is what happens in sports. But we will miss those guys a lot.

"We definitely are familiar with Mangiapane, having played in Calgary for a long time. Just a feisty player, plays with a competitive edge and can score goals and isn't afraid to get in the corners and win puck battles."

Hyman will be entering his 10th NHL season and fourth with the Oilers when the 2025-26 campaign begins. He has 230 goals and 443 points in 653 career games with Edmonton and the Toronto Maple Leafs.