The Chicago Blackhawks are in the process of rebuilding. But…they just landed Connor Bedard as the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. That said, the rebuilding process has just been accelerated. The Blackhawks want to ensure Bedard has the veteran presence he needs to transition successfully into the NHL.
Related – Meet the New Blackhawks: Connor Bedard
They did just that by acquiring veterans Taylor Hall and Nick Foligno from the Boston Bruins on June 26, as well as Corey Perry on June 30. Hall, especially, fits the bill perfectly. He’s a former No. 1 overall pick himself, from the 2010 draft. He’s projected to play alongside Bedard in the top-six for the 2023-24 season. Here’s more on Hall’s background, and what he brings to the Blackhawks.
Blackhawks Attain Hall
Securing Hall was the first of many moving parts surrounding this year’s draft. The 31-year-old left winger currently has two years left on his contract, with a $6 million annual cap hit. The Bruins desperately needed to shed some cap dollars, and dumping Hall’s contract was a good way to start. The Blackhawks, on the other hand, were looking to get to the cap floor, and taking on Hall’s salary was one way to do that.
The Blackhawks also want to maintain cap flexibility by not having a lot of long-term contracts. They have numerous young players who will be due for a second contract in a few years, and they want to be in a position to do that. Hall’s contract aligns with this thought process, as it ends after the 2024-25 season. He could also possibly be flipped at this trade deadline or the next for even more assets.
Hall’s Hockey History
As mentioned above, Hall was drafted first overall by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2010 Draft. He entered the NHL right away and scored 22 goals and 42 points (in 65 games) in the 2010-11 season. He enjoyed six lucrative years with the Oilers before being traded to the New Jersey Devils for defenseman Adam Larsson. The Oilers kept missing the playoffs, and the thought process was that they needed more defensive depth.
With the Devils, Hall spent three and a half seasons. His first two seasons were the best, including winning the Hart Trophy (for most valuable player) in the 2017-18 season. He tallied 39 goals and 93 points. But all good things must come to an end. He was set back by a knee injury in the 2018-19 campaign, and the Devils ended up trading him to the Arizona Coyotes in Dec. 2019 after a poor start to their season. They realized they probably couldn’t compete with the market to re-sign Hall when he became a free agent at the end of the season.
Related – Ranking Blackhawks Draft Moves: From Bedard to Perry
But it just wasn’t a good fit in Arizona, and Hall signed with the Buffalo Sabres in 2020-21. That went even worse, with Hall managing just two goals and 19 points in 37 games. In April 2021, he was traded to the Bruins. I’m sure he was thrilled to be going to a contending team.
Hall’s Time With the Bruins
The Calgary, Alberta native spent the end of the 2020-21 campaign and the following two seasons with the Bruins. To get an idea about his time there, I turned to my THW colleague who covers the Bruins, Hannah Garfield. Here’s what she had to say:
Hall’s tenure in Boston will be, and should be, remembered fondly. In his years there, he demonstrated an ability to be a real versatile team player on the ice. While he initially started out on the second line, he was moved into a reduced capacity in the 2022-23 season due to the level of talent the Bruins had on their roster, and the major leap forward rookie Pavel Zacha took in his first year. Still, even spending most of the season on the third line, Hall made the most of his minutes, registering 16 goals and 36 points in 61 games.
It’s a testament to the stacked roster the Bruins had that a former No. 1 pick would end up among the bottom-six forwards. But he played his role well. He also added five goals and eight points in seven playoff games. With the rebuilding Blackhawks, Hall can look forward to an elevated role.
What Hall Can Bring to the Blackhawks
There was originally some question whether Hall was completely open to the idea of coming to Chicago. After all, he just came from a contending team to a rebuilding team. In his contract he had a 16-team no movement clause, but the Blackhawks was not one of the teams on his list. The Bruins were able to make this trade without Hall’s consent.
However, in a recent interview with the media, Hall made this statement.
Taylor Hall said he was “caught off guard” by trade from Boston to Chicago, but he’s looking forward to proving “that, even at my age, I can be a top-line guy.” #Blackhawks
— Charlie Roumeliotis (@CRoumeliotis) July 1, 2023
This is an opportunity for a fresh start and a bigger role, which I’m sure Hall is excited about. Plus, he’ll be able to play with Bedard, and mentor a young and talented group of players. Hannah further expanded about Hall’s fit with the Blackhawks.
Hall may not be the same player that won the Hart Trophy back in 2018 and almost single-handedly dragged the New Jersey Devils into the playoffs, but he is still a talented player who is a positive addition to any roster. At 31-years-old and coming off several seasons of being in a locker room with the ultimate captain, Patrice Bergeron, I wouldn’t be surprised if he’s looking to step up further into a leadership type position. Also, Chicago should give him an opportunity to step back into a more expanded role on the ice.
As far as placement in the lineup, Hall will definitely get top minutes and will likely play on the left wing alongside Bedard. The Blackhawks have indicated they see Bedard as a center, so expect him to play center right off the bat instead of being more sheltered on the wing. The team has some intriguing options on right wing for this top line. They could go with another veteran in the two-time Stanley Cup winner Tyler Johnson, or perhaps the top scorer from last season, Taylor Raddysh. Or they could look for a speedy option to complement Hall and Bedard, such as Andreas Athanasiou. Top prospect Lukas Reichel could be in the mix as well.
Related – Meet the New Blackhawk: Corey Perry
Either way, Hall will be a part of the mix and will automatically elevate the overall talent of the lineup. Can his career be rejuvenated in Chicago with the Blackhawks? We’ll find out soon enough.
