Zach Hyman

Early and personal life

Hyman was born on June 9, 1992, in Toronto, Ontario, to Stuart and Vicky Hyman. Hyman grew up in Forest Hill, Toronto and has four brothers. Hyman's father, Stuart, is the Chairman and Governor of the Markham Royals, and Vice Chairman of the Ontario Junior Hockey League. Zach's younger brother, Spencer, is the Assistant General Manager and Coach of the Markham Royals. Hyman attended United Synagogue Day School and graduated with honours from a Jewish high school, the Community Hebrew Academy of Toronto.

Junior

Hyman played for the Hamilton Red Wings from 2008 to 2011. During his rookie season, Hyman recorded 13 goals and 24 assists in 49 regular season games, and two goals in five playoff games. He was named the Red Wings' Rookie of the Year. During his sophomore season, Hyman was voted team captain. He recorded 35 goals and 40 assists in 49 regular season games, and seven goals and nine assists in 11 playoff games.

During his final season of Junior A hockey, Hyman was the leading scorer for the Red Wings, recording 42 goals and 60 assists in 43 regular season games, and three goals and five assists in seven playoff games. Hyman ranked second in the Canadian Junior Hockey League (CJHL) in scoring, recording 102 points in 43 games, and led all players with 2.37 points per game.

Following an outstanding season with the Red Wings, Hyman was named to the OJHL's North-West Conference First All-Star Team, and Hockey Canada awarded him the CJHL Player of the Year Award. He became just the second player from the OJHL to win the award, following Trent Walford in 1995–96. In 2010, Hyman was chosen as the OJHL's Most Gentlemanly Player. A two-time Red Wings' MVP, the OHA also selected him as the BJ Monroe Trophy recipient. The award recognized Zach Hyman as the Association's Top Pro Prospect. At the conclusion of the 2010–11 season, Hyman's jersey was displayed in the Hockey Hall of Fame.

College

Hyman originally committed to play for Princeton during the 2010–11 season. However, he decommitted after Princeton Tigers head coach Guy Gadowsky left the school to start the Division I hockey program at Penn State. Following Gadowsky to Penn State was not an option, as the program did not have a varsity team at the time. In May 2011, Hyman was offered a full athletic scholarship and committed to play for the University of Michigan for the 2011–12 season.

During his freshman season for the Michigan Wolverines, Hyman recorded two goals and seven assists in 41 games. He scored his first career goal on October 21, 2011, in a game against Northern Michigan. In his sophomore season, he recorded four goals and five assists in 38 games. During his junior season, he recorded seven goals and ten assists in 35 games. Hyman was selected as the 2014 Bates/Deskins Award Winner, an honour bestowed upon the University of Michigan's Top Junior Student Athlete.

In his senior season, Hyman was named alternate captain. He was Michigan's leading scorer, and the Big Ten Scoring Champion, setting a new record with 54 points, scoring 22 goals and 32 assists in only 37 games. Hyman became the first Michigan player to record 20 goals in a season since Louie Caporusso, and the first player to record 50 points or more since Carl Hagelin during the 2009–10 season. Hyman led the team with 17 multiple-point games, including six games with three or more points. On October 24, 2014, Hyman recorded a career-high five points, and his first career hat-trick against UMass Lowell.

In December 2014, Hyman was named to the 50th Great Lakes Invitational Tournament team, where he scored both game-winning goals against Michigan Tech and Michigan State, to help lead Michigan to its 16th Tournament Title.

Following an outstanding senior season with the Wolverines, Hyman was named to the 2014–15 All-Big Ten First Team, and named an AHCA First Team All-American. Hyman was also named a top-ten finalist for the Hobey Baker Award. He was also selected as the SB Nation College Hockey Big Ten Media Most Valuable Player.

On March 27, 2015, Hyman received the 2015 All-American Athlete Award by The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NCSA) and EAS Sports Nutrition. The award recognized Hyman's athletic accomplishments and his dedication to strength and conditioning.

In a national awards ceremony at the Atlanta History Center on April 27, 2015, Hyman was honoured as one of five finalists for the 11th Annual Coach Wooden Citizenship Cup Award, and was recognized as one of the most outstanding role models among athletes.

Hyman graduated from Michigan with a history major in the College of Literature, Science, and the Arts. He was a three-time Big Ten All-Academic selection and a two-time recipient of the Big Ten Distinguished Scholar Award, having earned a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 3.7 or higher for the previous academic year.

On May 4, 2015, Hyman was selected as a Senior Athlete of the Year Award winner for the 2014–15 season at Michigan's Bob Ufer Quarterback Club's Annual Banquet, an award previously won by former standout Michigan quarterbacks Jim Harbaugh in 1987 and Tom Brady in 2000. Past recipients include Heisman Winner Desmond Howard in 1992, Brian Wiseman in 1994, Marty Turco in 1998, TJ Hensick in 2007, Kevin Porter in 2008, and Carl Hagelin in 2011.

On May 14, 2015, Hyman was part of a quartet of University of Michigan student-athletes who were named Capital One First Team Academic All-District selections, the announcement coming from the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA), and his name was put forward for Academic All-American consideration. On June 11, 2015, Hyman was named to the 2015 Capital One Academic All-America Division I Men's At-Large team, as selected by CoSIDA. Hyman was the second ice hockey player at Michigan to be named an Academic All-America honoree, following Jeff Jillson in 2001, and the first to be named First Team Academic All American.

On June 22, 2015, the University of Michigan Athletic Department named Hyman the 2014–15 Michigan Athlete of the Year. Hyman was the third ice hockey player to receive the honour, following Brendan Morrison in 1997 and Kevin Porter in 2008.

Professional

Hyman was drafted 123rd overall by the Florida Panthers in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. At the conclusion of his college career, the Panthers offered Hyman an NHL contract, but Hyman announced his intent not to sign with the Panthers, and opted for free agency.

On June 19, 2015, Hyman's rights were acquired by the Toronto Maple Leafs from the Florida Panthers in exchange for centre Greg McKegg. On June 23, Hyman signed a two-year entry-level contract with the Maple Leafs.

Hyman made his professional debut for the Toronto Marlies on October 9, 2015, where he recorded his first professional point, an assist on Byron Froese's goal in the second period. On November 7, Hyman recorded his first professional goal, a short-handed goal against Matt O'Connor of the Binghamton Senators.

On February 29, 2016, Hyman was recalled by the Toronto Maple Leafs. Prior to being recalled, he recorded 13 goals and 20 assists in 54 games for the Marlies that season and lead the entire AHL in short-handed goals. He made his NHL debut in a game against the Tampa Bay Lightning later that night, recording 15:58 of ice time, 22 shifts, two shots, and one hit. He subsequently scored his first career NHL goal one week later on March 7 against Chad Johnson of the Buffalo Sabres.

On March 31, 2016, Hyman was loaned to the Marlies in preparation for the AHL Calder Cup playoffs. Considered favourites to win the Calder Cup championship, the team was eliminated in the third round. Hyman contributed 6 points in the team's 15 game run. Hyman played every game despite suffering an injury (broken nose) vs Hershey.

On October 11, 2016, Hyman earned a permanent spot on the big club, and he was included on the 2016–17 regular season 100th Anniversary Centennial team opening day roster for the Toronto Maple Leafs. He dressed for the season opener on October 12, against the Ottawa Senators, on a line with fellow rookies Auston Matthews and William Nylander. In the first period of play, Hyman assisted on Auston Matthews' first-ever NHL goal.

During the 2016–17 NHL season a number of Toronto Maple Leafs team records have been either tied or broken by Hyman. On February 6, 2017, Hyman scored his third short-handed goal of the season, surpassing the previous Maple Leafs record for number of short-handed goals scored by a rookie which had been held by Gus Mortson since 1946-47. At six games with an assist, Hyman also tied for the most consecutive games with an assist by a rookie with Dan Daoust, Bob Nevin, and Frank Nigro. On March 28, 2017, when playing the Florida Panthers, Hyman set the Toronto Maple Leafs record for most short handed goals in a single season by a rookie with four.

On July 5, 2017, Hyman signed a four year, $9 million contract extension with the Maple Leafs.

International play

In 2010, as a 17-year-old underage player, Hyman served as Assistant Captain and represented Canada in the U20 Three Nations tournament in Norrtälje, Sweden. He was named game MVP vs. Finland, after scoring two goals in the game. He finished the tournament with three goals and one assist in four games.

Hyman represented Canada East at the 2010 World Junior A Challenge. He was named MVP of the game vs. Russia. He was one of the tournament's leading scorers recording two goals and three assists in five games, and won a silver medal.

In July 2013, Hyman served as an Assistant Captain representing Canada at the 2013 Maccabiah Games held in Israel, where he recorded three goals and three assists in two games and won a gold medal.

Toronto Maple Leafs

Writing career

Hyman is also a best-selling author under contract with Penguin Random House.

His award-winning children's book The Bambino and Me conjures 1920s New York, and tells the story of a young Yankees fan named George, who especially admires Babe Ruth and carries his baseball card everywhere. His other book, Hockey Hero was released in October 2015 and is about a shy hockey player who overcomes playing in his brother's shadow and eventually makes his dream come true.

Hyman has signed another two-book deal with Penguin Random House, with books to be published in 2017 (The Magician’s Secret; an adventure book about a little boy and his grandfather) and 2018 (a basketball book).