Hall Trade Watch

Photo: USA Today

By Richard Gonzalez

The Ducks are sitting at third place in the Pacific Division (10/31) and are showing a glimpse of a Stanley Cup contending team. The Ducks have been in the market for a true top forward left winger for quite some time. Remember the JVR trade rumors? Well, now a new name has hit the Ducks rumor mill. That is New Jersey Devils forward, Taylor Hall.

Sportsnet’s Luke Fox talked about which teams might be interested in Hall’s services and listed the Anaheim Ducks as one of the potential suitors. He notes both GM’s have a trade history, Hall being traded to the West (avoiding him playing against the Devils) and bringing in some offensive support for the Ducks so they will not have to “waste another brilliant season from John Gibson.”

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Hall, 27, is listed as 6’1” and weighs 201 pounds. Hall was the Edmonton Oilers’ first overall pick in the NHL entry draft. He is a play-making left-wing power forward who can also score goals. He played in 381 games with the Oilers and scored 328 points (132 goals and 192 assists).

On June 29, 2016, Hall was traded to the Devils in exchange for a defenseman, Adam Larsson. Coincidentally, Hall would go on to score his first goal as a Devil against the Ducks. Hall has played in 190 games with the Devils and has scored 190 points (71 goals and 119 assists). In ten games this season, Hall has scored nine points (goal and eights assists) in ten games. Hall is also one of the alternate captains.

In total, Hall has played in 572 NHL career games and has scored 520 points (203 goals and 317 assists). Furthermore, Hall has been selected to represent his team’s in the All-Star game five times (2011, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019). However, he did not play in 2018 and 2019. Hall has also won the Hart Memorial Trophy in 2018.

On the eve of Halloween, The Athletic’s Corey Masisak shared a quote via a tweet from Hall that sent the hockey world into a frenzy. Hall was quoted saying the following: “We’re kind of battling our own fans right now,” Hall said via Masisak’s tweet. “We were 1-for-3 on the power play and we are getting booed. It’s a tie game that we are getting booed.”

Hall is in the final year of a seven-year deal he signed in 2013-14, totaling $42 million ($6 million AAV). He has zero trade protection meaning he can be traded to any team without any say in the matter. The only thing he does have control over is if he is willing to sign an extension with a new team if he does indeed gets traded.

The Devils were a highly talked about team in the off-season making some of the biggest splashes in trading for all-star defenseman, P.K. Subban, trading for Nikita Gusev from the Vegas Golden Knights, signing Wayne Simmonds in free agency and picking the highly anticipated Jack Hughes with the first overall pick. A lot of speculations that the Devils did this to quickly rebuild their team to convince Hall to extend his contract. They are currently the second to last team in the league (2-5-3) only one spot above the last place Ottawa Senators.

Analysis:

It is still early in the season and things can quickly turn around for the Devils but from his quote, it seems like Hall is getting frustrated. If the Devils do not turn this team around, it seems like Hall will most likely test free agency and try to sign with a contending team. This is an elite player the Devils can not lose without getting anything for. It’s like the John Tavares situation again but this time in Jersey.

Hall would instantly increase offensive production to the Ducks and would slot in the top-line left-wing spot. A big upgrade to Nick Ritchie. He would be the elite type a player that fans have been wanting to see come to the Ducks and a player the Ducks could benefit from. I mentioned Ritchie because I know fans are thinking he would be packaged for Hall but that would be unlikely. They have a similar and more skilled player in Miles Wood. A deal for Hall would take a roster player, mid/top prospect and a first-round draft pick. With the exception of John Gibson, there is not a player on the Ducks that would be a one for one deal. The Devils would probably want players like Rickard Rakell or Jakob Silfverberg to be part of the deal.

I like Hall and this would be a huge trade for the Ducks. This would be one of those blockbuster deals that will prove the Ducks are planning to be serious contenders. He brings the needed offensive production and added leadership. He has the potential to significantly improve the power play. I would like to see how the rest of the season plays out and where the Ducks are in the standings come January. It would be terrible to give up a big package for Hall just to see him leave in free agency for a contender if the Ducks fall out of a spot.

We talked about the Erik Gudbranson rumor and that came to fruition so who knows what will happen. Be sure to check out the DucksNPucks podcast as we discussed the Hall rumor too.

What do you think it will take for the Ducks to land Hall?

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October 31st, 2019