Boston Bruins: Why Taylor Hall is unlikely to end up in Bruins colors
A top-six winger could solidify the Boston Bruins as Stanley Cup favorites. Does that make Taylor Hall a trade target?
We’re a little over a quarter into the NHL season, about the time when trade rumors really start to heat up. Boston Bruins GM Don Sweeney will likely be in the market for a top-six winger to solidify his team’s chances this year. Will Boston make a play for a big-name winger?
If you look at the forwards on the trade market, Taylor Hall is the name that really stands out. The New Jersey Devils hoped to re-sign Hall earlier this season, but after a poor start this season, a trade is on the horizon.
Hall is a former MVP, and he certainly remains one of the most talented wingers in the league. He would be quite the luxury on Boston’s second line, and his presence could give the Bruins the best top-six in the league.
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That said, a Hall trade seems too much like a dream right now. Because of a few different roadblocks, he doesn’t appear to be a realistic trade option for the Bruins.
Boston Needs a Right Wing, Not a Left Wing
First, there’s the obvious fact that Hall plays pretty much exclusively on the left wing. As a left-shot, he’s also not somebody who can comfortably move over to the right side.
The Bruins are set now at the left wing position with Brad Marchand, Jake DeBrusk, and Anders Bjork. There’s even Danton Heinen, who can play both wing positions. Ideally, the Bruins need to add a top-six right wing.
Both DeBrusk and Bjork look much more comfortable on the left side than the right, so it doesn’t make sense for the Bruins to move them to the off-wing to accommodate Hall. What then has to give for a Hall trade?
The Bruins of course could make Hall work if they included DeBrusk or Bjork in the trade to New Jersey. That, however, might not be worth it from Boston’s perspective.
Hall only has four goals in 24 games this season. DeBrusk doesn’t have great numbers this year, but because of his recent hot streak, he now has five goals in 21 games. He’s younger than Hall and remains under team control beyond this year, so the Bruins can’t give DeBrusk up for Hall.
Honestly, Boston shouldn’t trade Bjork either. He’s only 23, and he continues to make great strides. Teams nowadays need young players who outproduce their cap hits. Why would the Bruins trade a player like Bjork for an upcoming free agent?
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.
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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.