Boston Bruins’ 2018 Draft Pick Signs Deal With AHL Affiliate
Earlier today, Jan. 26, Marc Divver of the New England Hockey Journal tweeted out that forward Curtis Hall signed an entry-level contract with the Boston Bruins.
Just over an hour ago, the Providence Bruins, Boston’s AHL affiliate, announced that they have signed Hall to a one-year deal.
Hall was Boston’s fourth-round selection, 119th overall, in the 2018 NHL Entry Draft and had been playing collegiate hockey for the Yale Bulldogs over the last two years.
With Yale not playing hockey this season due to the pandemic, Hall has decided to forgo his last two college hockey seasons and go pro by signing this one-year AHL deal with Providence.
How did Boston Bruins prospect Curtis Hall do for the Yale Bulldogs?
For his freshman year with Yale, Hall didn’t do much. He played in 24 games and recorded five goals and six assists for 11 points with a +1 plus/minus (+/-) and 16 penalty minutes. Hall didn’t produce much but I would assume this is because limited ice time with him being a freshman.
Last season, Hall’s sophomore season, he took a huge step forward. In 28 games he registered 17 goals and 10 assists for 27 points with a +14 +/- and 39 penalty minutes. This huge increase in production is not only because of development but probably also because of an increase in ice time.
Hall also played in the World Junior Championship last year. He suited up for Team USA and played in five games. In these five games, Hall scored one goal with two penalty minutes and a +1 +/-.
Do not expect to see Curtis Hall in the NHL with the Boston Bruins this season, or anytime soon.
By signing just an AHL deal, Hall is not on Boston’s roster. Therefore, he cannot be called up from Providence unless he signed an NHL deal. Instead, he’ll most likely be spending most, in not all, of the 2021 season in the AHL or in the ECHL.
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Hall has nice size at 6-foot-3 and 196 pounds, but he is still very raw at just 20 years old and just out of college. I would say he has at least two years until he gets a chance at the NHL roster, especially since he’s a center and the B’s already have a log jam up the middle.