Zach Hyman will not play in his first game against his former team on Tuesday

Edmonton Oilers forward Zach Hyman almost certainly had December 14th circled on his calendar when he inked his 7-year, $38.5M deal with the Oilers on July 28th as a free agent.

Any time a guy plays his first game against his former team, that game definitely carries a little more importance for that player, especially one who departs via free agency.

The writing was on the wall for Hyman in Toronto when the Leafs signed their "core four" to massive contracts, which made it almost impossible for Hyman to secure a fair deal with his hometown Leafs.

Well, Hyman will now have to wait until January 5th in Toronto to face off against his former NHL team, as he remains sidelined with an upper-body injury and will not play at home against the Leafs on Tuesday evening.

Hyman's former teammates in Toronto have praised Hyman's work ethic and character leading up to this game, and it goes without saying that there are some Leafs on the team who are disappointed that they will not be able to square off against Hyman for another few weeks.

The Oilers are 16-10-0 this season, with Hyman having contributed 11 goals and 8 assists for 19 points in 28 games.

The Leafs sit a bit higher in the standings, boasting a 19-8-2 record, good for 2nd in the Atlantic Division and tied with the Florida Panthers and Washington Capitals for the league lead with 40 points.

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