Bob Stauffer

It's funny.

We had this conversation last year.

The Oilers lost Zach Hyman in game four against Dallas.

He was leading the league in hits the year.

Zach Hyman has the most playoff goals in a single playoff of any active NHL player, 16.

He was a massive loss in the Stanley Cup final.

And Reinhardt got hurt in game three of the conference final against the Canes and came back.

And I've said to lots of people, you flip those two scenarios and all that depth gets mitigated for Florida.

And like...

You talk about Florida needed to win game two at Edmonton in overtime.

If the Oilers go up 2-0 and win game four in overtime, woulda, coulda, shoulda.

Instead, the Oilers are a team that lost in game seven and game six.

But that's, hey, it's part of the factor.

Florida did have a deeper team.

Edmonton could ill afford to lose Zach Hyman.

And you know what?

Vegas could ill afford to lose William Carlson because Carolina did have a deeper team.

And you know how you know how they had a deeper team?

A guy that you know well, Taylor Hall.

Your thoughts on his deployment and maybe how the role change and ongoing maturity provided an opportunity for him to kill it in this year's playoffs.