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Greg McKegg has been traded to the Florida Panthers in return for the rights to Zach Hyman and a conditional seventh round pick.

From the Maple Leafs website:

“The Toronto Maple Leafs announced today that the hockey club has acquired forward Zach Hyman and a conditional seventh round pick in the 2017 NHL Entry Draft from the Florida Panthers in exchange for forward Greg McKegg.

Hyman, 23, was a First Team All-American and First Team All-Big Ten selection after leading the Big Ten with 54 points (22 goals, 32 assists) while playing for the University of Michigan last season. He was also named a top ten finalist for the Hobey Baker Award. In 152 games with Michigan, Hyman recorded 89 points (35 goals, 54 assists) and 42 penalty minutes. In 2011, he was named the Canadian Junior Hockey League Player of the Year after collecting 102 points in 43 games with the Hamilton Red Wings (OJHL). The Toronto, Ontario native was originally selected in the fifth round (123rd overall) of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.”

Some may know the last name Hyman from his father’s dealings in the GTHL:

“Hockey has not been faced with the likes of Stuart Hyman before,” said John Gardner, president of the Greater Toronto Hockey League, from which Hyman withdrew as an owner of more than 90 teams following a high-profile league investigation in 2004.

February  07, 2015: Michigan forward Zach Hyman #11 handles the puck against Michigan State defenseman Brock Krygier #17 during the Michigan Wolverines  game versus the Michigan State Spartans in the Hockey City Classic at Soldier Field in Chicago, IL. Michigan wins against Michigan State, 4-1.
February 07, 2015: Michigan forward Zach Hyman #11 handles the puck against Michigan State defenseman Brock Krygier #17 during the Michigan Wolverines game versus the Michigan State Spartans in the Hockey City Classic at Soldier Field in Chicago, IL. Michigan wins against Michigan State, 4-1.

Zach Hyman Scouting Report

(Courtesy: Dobber Hockey)

Shoots: R
Height: 6-1
Weight: 194
Born: 1992-06-09
Hometown: Toronto, ON, CAN
Drafted: 2010 by the Florida Panthers, 123rd overall

Observations:

“March 2015 – Hyman has exploded offensively in his senior season with the University of Michigan.  After posting 17 points as his previous high, this season Hyman has put up 19 goals and 30 assists for 49 total points in just 34 games.  The 23-year-old, originally drafted in 2010, appears to be a late bloomer that could pan out to be quite the find for the Panthers.  The dynamic young player will likely find himself in the AHL next season for a chance to develop his game at the professional level. Lee Rayson”

Hyman has all the tools to translate into an effective scoring NHL player.  With size, skating ability, and offensive prowess he could be a very impactful player for the Panthers in the future. “

Hyman told Florida that he didn’t intend on playing for the franchise, and instead was going to test free agency, which for him will open August 16th, 2015. By trading for Hyman’s rights, the Leafs will be able to negotiate with him ahead of time and in all likelihood get a two-year entry-level contract done. The Leafs will get a seventh round pick in 2017 if Hyman does not sign in Toronto, but that’s very unlikely for a number of reasons:

  • A club that’s rebuilding, as the Leafs are, can offer the opportunity of wide-open competition for roster spots.
  • There is a connection to Kyle Dubas worth noting:

  • Hyman is a Toronto native and grew up a Leafs fan.
  • The Leafs wouldn’t have dealt for Hyman without having some intel on his likelihood to sign here.

Clearly the Leafs feel there’s more upside with Hyman than there was with the same-aged McKegg, who since getting drafted in the third round of 2010 has had to work hard on a lot of areas of his game to get to where he is — now an above average AHL producer who can put up 20 goals — but is in tough to carve out a spot as an NHL regular.

It somewhat hurts Florida that Hyman won’t stay with the team, since he’s developing into the kind of player that every team hopes to have on their bottom six. He’s made a name for himself as his NCAA career evolved for being able to convert defensive zone starts up the ice, and that could have helped Florida. As a team that makes it a priority to bring on as many true shut-down blue liners as they do offensive back-end talents, though, the Panthers are actually at less of a loss than they could be; while Hyman is developing into a useful depth player, he’s expendable in Florida’s system.
– Cat Silverman, Today’s Slapshot

An old but good read on Hyman from his draft year can be found here, wherein we learn he’s also a top-notch student who writes children’s books.