Taylor Hall’s play fizzled out a bit in the second-round loss to the New York Islanders. Before that dissapointing finish, the 2010 top overall pick made a solid initial impression with the Boston Bruins after arriving from Buffalo at the trade deadline.
Hall wanted to stay in Boston for the long-term. General manager Don Sweeney and Boston’s front office saw a long-term fit with the talented left winger. Both parties officially came together on Friday, agreeing to a four-year contract worth $24 million.
“The Bruins are excited that Taylor wanted to remain a Boston Bruin and we are thrilled to have signed him to a multi-year contract,” Sweeney said. “He is an impact player that brings speed, scoring, skill and two-way commitment to our lineup. He fit seamlessly into our locker room and will be an integral part of our organization’s goal to compete for the Stanley Cup.”
“Playing in five or six games, I knew I wanted to be a part of the group. It was up to me to try to play well and show well enough to have them want me to be a part of it,” Hall added. “The season didn’t end the way we wanted it to. I think we could’ve been right there. I think we could’ve been in the finals, could’ve been in the conference finals. It just didn’t happen.”
Hall came to Boston along with Curtis Lazar in exchange for Anders Bjork and Boston’s 2022 second-round draft pick. The veteran winger tallied a mere two goals and 19 points during his 37 games with the Sabres. Hall more than doubled his goal output in 16 games with Boston, recording eight lamplighters and six helpers. He followed that up with three goals and two assists in 11 playoff games.
Playing for his fifth squad in 11 seasons, Hall provided some much-needed stability on the second line. Together, Hall, David Krejci (a pending UFA) and Craig Smith balanced out the middle of the lineup. Hall’s two-way presence complimented the craft playmaker in Krejci and Smith’s blue-collar work ethic.
The Bruins would like to sign Krejci and keep the second line trio intact at least for the short term. For as much as he’d like to reunite with the Czech centerman, Krejci’s status wasn’t a concern for Hall. Instead, he centered his negotations around his desire to win and comfort within the organization.
“It wasn’t too concerning for me, personally. I would love to play with David for another year or two, but he’s got his own things he has to deal with,” Hall said. “I think we’re comfortable with whoever’s going to be there. There’s a lot of good players on that team, and I know the organization has a lot of confidence in guys that are able to step up and play in that role. It wasn’t a concern for me. It was more that I wanted to be a Bruin…whatever we can do to win hockey games, that’s what I wanted to be a part of.”
Sweeney enters a pivotal off-season needing to upgrade the left-side of the Bruins’ blue-line and address their forward depth. They could also use a veteran goalie to help Jeremy Swayman and Dan Vladar early in the season as Tuukka Rask recovers from his hip surgery. But re-signing Hall to a favorable contract during a busy pre-draft period provided a good start.
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