New Jersey Devils: Taylor Hall Will Do More With Less Expectations
By Nick Villano
New Jersey Devils forward Taylor Hall was good last season, but he wasn’t great. Now that he has a season under his belt, and an offseason under the radar, he’s ready to have his best season of his career.
The New Jersey Devils shocked the hockey world when they sent defenseman Adam Larsson to the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for Taylor Hall. It was one of three moves known as one of the most dramatic half hours in sports history. The move by the Devils was supposed to skyrocket the team into playoff contention.
Obviously, Hall was the least of the Devils problems last season. A swiss cheese defense paired with an unconfident Cory Schneider tied to a bottom six that couldn’t perform on a nightly basis made it near impossible to win. Hall’s contributions helped the team immensely, but not enough to overcome other obstacles.
Hall’s number fell way short of expectations. He scored just 20 goals in 72 games. A player of his caliber, especially on a line with the chemistry he has with Travis Zajac and Kyle Palmieri, should be able to break the 30 goal plateau. Falling 10 goals short of that really hurts.
A midseason injury made things harder for Hall. He missed games in November, which contributed to a five week scoring drought. He did get going towards the end of the season. He was just about the only player contributing during a two month losing streak that sent the Devils spiraling down the standings.
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Things are completely different coming into this season. Hall isn’t anywhere near the most talked about Devil of the offseason. Nico Hischier will take on a lot of pressure, being the number-one overall pick in the draft. Then there are the kids who will be fighting for roster spots. Players like Michael McLeod, John Quenneville and Joey Anderson will be looking to prove themselves in the preseason. Eyes on other players will let Hall do what he does best, play hockey.
Hall is just 25 years old. He has an 80 point season under his belt. He’s a lock for the Devils top line for the next two years. Him, Zajac and Palmieri are the only constants that won’t change this season. Without the added pressure of franchise savior that stood over him last season, Hall can flourish. Expect to see a great season from the Devils best player, as he continues to cement himself with this fanbase.