So you want Taylor Hall back?

Taylor Hall is a hot topic around here (and Colorado). The one rumour I heard was Colorado giving a first and Samuel Girard for him. Made me wonder what we could offer?

Things that I’ve heard is that New Jersey will take on a few of our bad contracts to help our cap space in the trade. Eg. they’ll give us their best player and take on our bad contracts. Interesting. Also, maybe Hall will sign a shorter contract for less money. Really? You’ve got a premiere athlete entering the last major payday of his career and we think he might take a discount to play in Edmonton? Alex Chiasson and Koskinen got overpaid to be here but Hall will take a discount?

I got in touch with John Fischer from the Devil’s SBNation site All About the Jersey. Here is what he had to say about what Hall would garner in trade and what he might cost next year.

1. What would it take to get Hall from the Devil’s

The package is going to have to include some kind of first round pick. Likely with some kind of condition built in dependent on whether he re-signs with the team he is traded to. The package will either include a defenseman who can play right away or a good - maybe not the team’s best - prospect that is close to NHL ready. With Colorado possibly giving up a first and a player, the price for Hall is steeper than you may think. This is not even considering what, if any, offer has come out of Arizona, Dallas, or St. Louis. It will not be a one-for-one deal unless that one coming back is a player on Hall’s level.

My thoughts: I don’t think John is referring to Adam Larsson or Kris Russel and our first here. I think Hall will garner a king’s ransom personally and the price will continue to drive up as the season goes on.

2. What does your blog think Hall’s next contract will look like?

Before this season, most fans think that it is inevitable that Hall will be an eight-figure player. For example, CJ surmised that he could get an 8-year, $88 million deal given how talented he is and what he has done so far. He was amazing, even in the half-season that ended with a knee injury. That was back in May and before this season happened and everything kind of fell apart. Hall’s knee appears to be all good. He is moving as fast as before. But he has had some horrible shooting luck to go with a team that has flailed and faltered through most of the season. While I can understand how that might give fans pause about how much Hall could command in his next contract, the reality has not changed. Hall is one of the most talented left wingers in the NHL. Players at his level rarely hit free agency and so he will still command a lot of money even if poor shooting luck runs through the rest of 2019-20. I don’t know if it will necessarily be for a $11 million per season cap hit, but I could still see him getting at least $10 million. Even with the lack of goals, he is the offensive leader in NJ and his 5-on-5 numbers have righted itself after a miserable October.

My thoughts: Using 10 million as the lower number given. That would mean Drai, Hall and McDavid would combine for 30 million. Isn’t this what people are mocking Toronto for? Where are we getting this new 10 million from? We are completely cap poor but hunting the biggest big fish in free agency this summer? Last, Hall would be making more than Drai.

3. Why would the Devil’s want to get rid of a player who won the Hart 2 seasons ago?

Easy. He will not re-sign with the Devils. Early in the 2019 offseason, Hall made it clear: he wanted more talent. The not-so-subtle subtext was that for Hall to consider staying in New Jersey, the team needs to actually have a shot to make the playoffs. After a horrid October and a not-good-enough November, the Devils are all but eliminated from the playoff picture in the East. So that is not happening despite Hall appreciating the acquisitions of P.K. Subban, Wayne Simmonds, and Nikita Gusev to go with the selection of The Big Deal, Jack Hughes. While Ray Shero, Hall, and his people met during the Devils’ road trip through Western Canada in early November, that Shero has been taking calls for a trade since the end of last month suggests strongly that those talks did not go well with respect to an extension. As he is a pending unrestricted free agent for 2020, the Devils only have two options: Deal him to another organization or watch him join another organization. At least through a trade, something is coming back.

4. I’ve always thought we should trade Jesse P for Zacha

Pavel Zacha is a NHL player. Jesse Puljujarvi may not be one. As underwhelming of a 6th overall pick as he was, I do not think any Devil fan will move Zacha for a player who may not even be suited for this league at the moment.

My thoughts: I still think if we want to get better via trade with New Jersey that we should target Zacha and Gusev. Both underperforming and can fill in 3C and Top 6 scoring immediately.

Thanks to John for replying.