When a player ....takes the puck to the net with equal amounts of skill and recklessness... there's always a risk of injury. When that player flings himself into the offensive zone over and over, exploding towards the puck with the force of a cannonade and without regard for life and limb, injury, or the risk of suffering an injury, is a part of every shift.
This is the life of the kid we call The Kingston Cannonball. In last night's Battle of Alberta, Taylor Hall was dented after the Cannonball took a shot to the head from Calgary Flames' defenseman Cory Sarich. The video above shows the shot in detail.
Though fans (and Dan Tencer) called for Sarich's head during the game, Jonathan Willis' take on the hit is on point:
The hit on Hall was unfortunate, but not malicious. Cory Sarich, who would be the Flames most active player in the contest, went for a hit on the puck carrier and Hall lost his footing moments before the hit. As a result, by the time Sarich reached him, Hall’s head was at waist level.
Hall was on pace for 31 goals and 30 assists, a stellar second season, especially considering he missed ten games due to injury already and he's demonstrated the ability to play tough minutes.
Hall is out indefinitely, and if I were in Oilers' management, I'd tell Hall that he's done for the season no matter his diagnosis. I'd tell him to take time off, follow the doc's orders and heal. As yet another lost season comes to a wrap, there's no reason to risk Hall's long-term health for this team.