There is Shaq … and then there is Shaq Hyman.
The former made an appearance on TNT’s Stanley Cup Playoffs broadcast on Saturday, faux-skating his way around the studio, much to the delight of former players Henrik Lundqvist, Anson Carter and Paul Bissonnette, as well as host Liam McHugh.
Shaq, aka Shaquille O’Neal, the retired NBA star, is a TNT analyst, but dropped by the NHL studio and gave Lundqvist — the former Rangers goalie — an idea of what it would be like to be screened by someone who is seven-foot-one, 325 pounds.
“I’m gonna need a ladder,” Lundqvist said.
“Shaq Hyman” refers to Oilers winger Zack Hyman, a 54-goal scorer this season for Edmonton, who drew a comparison to his namesake by his former coach in Toronto recently.
“When I was with the Marlies, we called him Shaq Hyman, because he got to the paint better than anybody,” Keefe said recently.
The real Shaq was happy to play with the comparison but, unlike Shaq Hyman, shoots left.