New Jersey Devils: Highly Unlikely Taylor Hall Traded In Offseason

Comments from Ray Shero this week show without fail that Taylor Hall was untouchable at the NHL Trade Deadline. His steadfast denials show it’s unlikely he’ll start next season with any team outside the New Jersey Devils.

Sometimes, a front-office executive needs to use an expletive to get their point across. Dallas Stars CEO Jim Lites used a lot of nasty words when talking about his star players Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin. You know what? They’ve been playing much better since. A similar situation came into New Jersey Devils GM Ray Shero this week, but in a much different light.

The Athletic’s Craig Custance spoke to the GMs during this weekend’s meetings in Boca Raton, Florida. Ray Shero was asked that one question he probably hates most: did you consider the idea of trading Taylor Hall?

"“Less than f@#$%^ zero. Zero percent. Someone asked me that two weeks before the deadline. Zero chance. Zero. Just to make it clear.”"

Did he get that across okay? Not sure if he was clear in his words, but there was no offer that was getting Taylor Hall off this roster. That speak was insanity from the jump, and now we got our confirmation.

These comments might not seem like much now, but read in between the lines. If Shero has zero interest in trading Hall at the deadline for any price, what would make him change his mind in the offseason?

Of course, the fact that July 1st comes and goes and Hall isn’t signed to an extension may be something to change some minds. It will certain cause this fanbase to go absolutely insane. Fans are already giving up on re-signing the star forward. Some go as far as to say they aren’t sure he should be giving a massive deal, but that always seems like a defense mechanism.

However, Shero is not the kind of GM that makes a rash decision. Everyone and their mother will call on the Devils to trade away Hall if he’s not signed the second the Devils are allowed to. For one, that’s because it’s something to talk about when the games aren’t on. Also, a lot of speculation is trying to put two and two together.

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This isn’t one of those situations. This isn’t Erik Karlsson or Evander Kane or even John Tavares. Hall and the Devils seem infatuated with each other, and it would take something serious to break them apart. Of course, money is a very serious matter, but this doesn’t seem like a situation where money is a major issue.

It’s highly unlikely that the Devils move Hall before the next season starts. For one, the Devils were willing to take as long as it takes to sign him. There’s no reason to be hasty and send him away the second the money doesn’t make sense. Take some time to negotiate.

Also, Hall is coming off a knee injury. Why would the Devils trade their very best player, possibly the most skilled forward they’ve ever had, coming off an injury? His value is high when it comes to other players, but it’s low when it comes to trading a superstar.

We learned with the Ottawa Senators the difference between trading a superstar during the offseason against trading them at the NHL Trade Deadline. For Karlsson, they got a fine bottom-six center in Chris Tierney, an average defenseman in Dylan Demelo, Josh Norris, who’s having an average year in Michigan, and Rudolfs Balcers, who has four goals in 22 games with the Sens this year. They also got two draft picks. On paper, it looks like a quarter and a bunch of nickels for a $50 bill.

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That’s the kind of return that sets a rebuild back a few more years. Yet, for Matt Stone at the deadline, they got an elite prospect in Erik Brannstrom, Oscar Lindberg and a pick. That feels like a return that will help them much more now and in the future.

If the Devils are going to trade Hall, it makes much more sense to wait until next year’s deadline when teams are willing to pay everything to make a run to the Stanley Cup. There are too many questions before the season starts, but in February teams know who they are and what they need. Every team would come call for Hall, and Shero could use that to his advantage. During the offseason, the return would be muted.

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