New Jersey Devils Need Playoff Berth To Keep Taylor Hall
By Nick Villano
Taylor Hall is still the star of this New Jersey Devils team. However, recent comments may show the star may be frustrated watching the postseason from the sidelines.
Last week, New Jersey Devils star forward Taylor Hall spoke with NHL.com on a myriad of topics. Many focused on the fact he wants to ease Nico Hischier into the big leagues, being a fellow first overall pick. I noticed a different quote, talking about the Devils and its future.
He made some comments about how long this summer has been, having to really watch the playoffs from the sidelines. He didn’t go to IIHF Worlds this season, so hockey just ended for him in April while many of his friends and colleagues, including those on the Edmonton Oilers, enjoyed playing in May and June.
"“It would be great [to get to the playoffs],” Hall said. “I’ve had some long summers, and this one right now seems to probably be the longest one of all. I’d like to get to the playoffs, experience that spotlight, the energy, having your team be able to compete for the Stanley Cup. That’s all I want to play for, so hopefully that happens soon.”"
Hall isn’t the kind of player to give his team an ultimatum. He seems to understand that general manager Ray Shero is trying to build a winner the right way. Shero made every attempt to sign the best game changer on the market in Kevin Shattenkirk, and severely upgraded the offense with his Marcus Johansson trade.
That being said, the Devils need to get Hall to the postseason to keep him past his current contract.
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Hall currently has three years left paying him $6 million per season. It’s not like he will be gone after this year, but he’s clearly frustrated with a career that’s never seen the postseason. He spent years in the doldrums of Edmonton just to get traded the year before it all came together. Now, he was on a Devils team that was one of the worst in the franchise’s history.
Shero knows what’s at stake. He now has multiple stars on a team that isn’t exactly easy to bring stars to. New Jersey doesn’t have the tax breaks that Florida and Texas have, it isn’t a huge destination city and it’s not the prestige of Toronto and Chicago. It even has New York right across the bridge with two teams playing within the city.
Shero will do everything he can over the next few years to make the Devils go from nobody to contender. He’s doing it for much more than Taylor Hall, but making their 25-year-old star is a major bonus. Hall deserves a playoff berth. If he can’t get one in New Jersey, he will find somewhere else where it can happen.