Zach Hyman Shaq nickname, explained: How 'Shaq Hyman' started, led to unlikely Shaquille O'Neal connection

Bryan Murphy

•
Zach Hyman Shaq nickname, explained: How 'Shaq Hyman' started, led to unlikely Shaquille O'Neal connection image

What do Oilers winger Zach Hyman and NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal have in common? A lot more than one might think.

With the 2024 Stanley Cup playoffs underway, TNT's coverage of the NHL postseason has coincided with its broadcast of the NBA playoffs. The crews on "Inside the NBA" and "NHL on TNT" have become must-watch entertainment, bringing the laughs to viewers all over the country while providing in-depth analysis.

There's been crossover between the two shows, with both O'Neal and Charles Barkley making appearances on the hockey program. And there's a deeper connection between Shaq and Hyman that has become a prevalent part of the broadcasts in recent weeks.

We're talking about the emergence of "Shaq Hyman."

Who exactly is Shaq Hyman and how does it connect Hyman and O'Neal? The Sporting News explains.

NHL PLAYOFFS: FULL BRACKET | SCHEDULE | PREDICTIONS

Who is Shaq Hyman?

Shaq Hyman is the nickname for the Hyman, the Oilers star winger.

The nickname has been around for quite some time, but it's risen in popularity over the last two weeks thanks to TNT's coverage of the Stanley Cup playoffs. NHL analyst Paul Bissonnette began referring to Hyman as "Shaq Hyman," and with TNT also employing O'Neal on the NBA, it's created a can't-miss crossover between the two sports and personalities.

The network has not wasted the opportunity to create content out of the creation of "Shaq Hyman." In addition, Hyman sent his new best bud a signed Edmonton jersey, which O'Neal received during one of the nights of TNT's NBA coverage. 

Hyman was asked about the nickname during the NHL playoffs, and the winger gave some thoughts on the moniker tying him to the basketball great.

"I’m a huge Shaq fan, obviously an incredible basketball player and incredible panellist on TNT," Hyman said. "Sometimes the basketball games are even more fun when he and Charles are going at it in the intermission, so he brings a whole other element to the NBA. It’s cool to see him on the NHL set and pretending to be ‘Shaq Hyman.'

"Never thought in my life people would be calling him 'Shaq Hyman.' Pretty cool to share that nickname with him."

A week later, Shaq gifted Hyman with a signed Lakers jersey to return the favor. Hyman was grinning ear-to-ear in the locker room as he posed for a picture with his new memorabilia from one of his favorite players.

How did Zach Hyman get the Shaq nickname?

Fans have now-former Maple Leafs head coach Sheldon Keefe to thank for it. 

Hyman and Keefe both spent time together with the Toronto Marlies, the AHL affiliate of the Maple Leafs, during the 2015-16 season. While in the minors, Keefe said that the team began calling the forward "Shaq Hyman" for his unique ability to get to the blue paint for goals.

"When I was with the Marlies, we called him Shaq Hyman, because he got to the paint better than anybody," Keefe said. "Now he is playing with the guy that gets the puck to the paint and tilts the ice more than anybody maybe in the history of the game. It's a good fit."

During his playing days, O'Neal was a force in the paint, creating headaches for defenses around the league due to his size and strength. He was an elite rebounder, manning the glass to nab second-chance opportunities on offense while ripping down board on defense. 

Hyman doesn't play with the same size as the center — he's listed at 6-1, 206 pounds, while O'Neal is 7-1, 324 pounds — but he is a menace around the crease, which is hockey's version of the paint. He's shown a knack for finding open areas around the net, with his teammates just needing to feed him the puck for him to tap it in and light the lamp. 

MORE: Craig Berube, Gerard Gallant among five best replacements for Sheldon Keefe

Zach Hyman goals

As mentioned above, Keefe and the Marlies tabbed Hyman with his Shaq moniker because of his ability to dominate in the paint.

Playing alongside Oilers superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, Hyman knows his job and does it extremely well — get open around the net, and let two of the best passers in the world do the rest. Hyman was one of the four players to pot at least 50 goals this season, setting a new career-high in the category with 51.

It's no surprise to see that more than half of those tallies came from him sitting at the top of the crease, waiting for the easy tap-ins. 

It's fitting that for his 50th goal, Hyman was the beneficiary of a set play off an offensive zone faceoff. With the Oilers on the power play, once the puck was dropped, the winger went right to the back door where all he needed to do was take a pass from McDavid and deposit it into the open net — and he was mic'd up for the whole exchange. 

Zach Hyman contract

After this season, Hyman still has four years remaining on his seven-year, $38.5 million deal he signed in free agency during the 2021 offseason.  It carries an incredibly team-friendly $5.5 million AAV, and considering his statistical output that goes along with it, it makes him one of the best free agent signings in recent history. 

That low AAV will greatly benefit the Oilers, who will need to hand out new deals to both McDavid and Draisaitl in the near future. Draisaitl is set to be a free agent in 2025, while McDavid will be one in 2026. 

Hyman won't hit free agency again until 2029. 

SeasonAAV
2023-24$5.5 million
2024-25$5.5 million
2025-26$5.5 million
2026-27$5.5 million
2027-28$5.5 million
2028-29UFA

Bryan Murphy

Bryan Murphy Photo

Bryan Murphy joined The Sporting News in 2022 as the NHL/Canada content producer. Previously he worked for NBC Sports on their national news desk reporting on breaking news for the NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL, in addition to covering the 2020 and 2022 Olympic Games. A graduate of Quinnipiac University, he spent time in college as a beat reporter covering the men’s ice hockey team.