Former Toronto Maple Leafs forward Zach Hyman got one of the best seats in the house for Auston Matthews’ historic NHL debut as the two were linemates that night.

On October 12, 2016, the Leafs took on the Ottawa Senators to begin their 2016-17 season, which was also the maiden voyage for the likes of Matthews and Mitch Marner. Although the Leafs would ultimately lose the game in overtime, the night is best remembered for the current captain’s four-goal performance, in which he accounted for all of his team’s goals that night.

Hyman registered a primary assist on Matthews’ first NHL goal and was on the ice for the other three tallies. During an appearance on The Sheet with Jeff Marek on Wednesday, he was asked about that memorable night and how he felt to be on the ice for the greatest NHL debut a player has ever had. Hyman said it was a night he will never forget and knew that night he was witnessing something incredible.

“ Well that was I think my 17th NHL game, so I couldn’t really say much.  It was kinda one where I’m like, ‘Oh, is this normal?’ Like this is pretty wild,” he said. “I think if I would’ve been where I am now in my career, and an 18-year-old, 19-year-old kid would have come in and scored four in his first game, I would have been like ‘Man, that’s pretty hard to do.’  I’ve never scored four in a game and I’ve played X amount of games so far. Pretty special start to his career, obviously.”

Now a member of the Edmonton Oilers, Hyman has gotten the privilege of sharing a line with some of the best players in the league today. He got to witness Matthews, Marner, and William Nylander up close working on their craft for the better part of six years, while he is currently getting a front-stage look at the likes of Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl.

He certainly didn’t fluke his way into those opportunities and instead worked hard to make the most of it when the chance presented itself. Hyman said that while luck played a part in the success he has had being on those elite lines, it had more to do with seizing the moment and understanding better than most how to keep up with the superstars.

“When you play with the best players in the world, they’re pretty demanding,” he said. “They have a high standard and it takes the whole line to be successful. When you get to the NHL level, it’s not just one guy that can go through a whole team, although sometimes [McDavid] can do it. You need a full line and you need everybody pulling together. I am fortunate that coaches have always found that I played well with those players.”

As a result of his hard work and taking advantage of his opportunities on the top lines, Hyman has gotten the chance to not only contribute to the careers of the superstars but also get a front-seat view to greatness. Matthews’ four-goal debut is just one of many impressive moments that Hyman has gotten to see up close over the years, including dazzling moves from McDavid, lethal shots from Draisaitl, elite vision from Marner, and silky skating from Nylander among many others.

When asked which goal stands out the most from what he got to see from McDavid and Matthews, Hyman had his pick of the litter because there were so many in his mind. He enjoyed seeing the Oilers captain’s goal in Game 6 of the 2024n Western Conference Finals against the Dallas Stars while one of his favourite Matthews tallies was a shot that fooled Carey Price.

“This might be a weird one, but there’s one early in his career against Carey Price when he stepped over the blue line and shot it,” Hyman said. “At first, I really thought it was a soft pull. But the way he dragged the puck from all the way outside his body, changed the angle, and he shot it. It kinda froze Carey Price from that far out. That one will always stick out for me.”

You can listen to the full interview with Hyman and the entire episode of The Sheet down below: