Boston Bruins: Why Taylor Hall is unlikely to end up in Bruins colors

Taylor Hall’s contract is a tough fit for the Boston Bruins

Another consideration with Hall is his contract. His current cap hit is $6 million. The Bruins are close to the cap ceiling right now, so they would need to shed salary to add Hall. That’s always easier said than done.

The Bruins could get New Jersey to eat some of Hall’s cap hit, but that would probably require Boston to give up more in a trade. That’s another roadblock.

We also need to think of Hall’s contract length. Like most players on the trade market, Hall’s in the last year of his deal. He’ll be an unrestricted free agent this summer. Any team that trades for him won’t have any guarantee he stays beyond this year.

The Boston Bruins have their eyes set on a championship run this year, so they’ll gladly trade for a UFA-to-be if he pushes them over the edge. However, Sweeney probably won’t give up someone like DeBrusk or Bjork without a long-term commitment from Hall.

By the way, a long-term commitment to Hall might not be a good thing for the Bruins. Hall will probably command close to $10 million per year on the market. That’s about what Artemi Panarin got from the Rangers last year.

Hall isn’t worth that type of money to Boston. In fact, no winger is worth that kind of money. Wingers simply don’t impact the game like centers or defensemen.

Now, if the Boston Bruins could work out a team-friendly deal with Hall’s agent (who happens to be Bobby Orr), maybe things change. That’s a big maybe, however.

Do we really want to disrupt team chemistry?

One last thing to consider is the chemistry the Bruins currently have in the locker room. The Bruins are a close-knit team with a strong leadership group, and this is a big reason why they’ve been so successful this year.

Is it worth moving somebody (especially somebody well-liked like DeBrusk) off the roster to bring in a big name like Hall? Remember, there were questions about Hall’s on-ice maturity when Edmonton traded him.

The answer to that question is no. There’s a chance a trade for Hall could disrupt Boston’s chemistry, so the risk-reward doesn’t make sense.

We all know the Bruins will be favorites for the Stanley Cup if they add a quality top-six forward. As a result, expect to hear whispers that link Hall to the Bruins until the Devils move him.

Don’t listen to those whispers. Taylor Hall is super talented, and he’ll likely be the best player who moves near the trade deadline.

If Sweeney can make the money work and keep most of the lineup intact, then Hall would be a luxury on the second line. But, with so many roadblocks, Taylor Hall isn’t the best option for the Boston Bruins.