An Example How One Taylor Hall Trade Makes New Jersey Devils Better

With the upcoming meeting between Darren Ferris and Ray Shero in Calgary this week, let’s dig into the hockey business and hockey politics of Taylor Hall‘s situation with the New Jersey Devils. From the times Taylor Hall has been feeling the Devils fanbase calling out the team for under performing on the power play, and Hall’s under performing when it comes to goal scoring. Hall’s mindset on the ice just hasn’t translated consistently to help the team win on a consistent basis.

Hall called out Shero to add talent and skill in the offseason. That has now been added during the summer. Now, the Devils hope to get some answers in a meeting with Hall and his agent. If Hall walks out of that meeting telling both Shero and Ferris he wants out of New Jersey, then a trade is what needs to happen. That trade to a new team must require a sign and trade to get the best value.

With the constant rumblings among Devils fans, contributors, and writers, you can see the anxiety growing throughout this universe. With the Devils gaining traction in the past six games, it seems everyone else from the first line to P.K. Subban on defense are all clicking it seems everyone else is all onboard.

Things may seem brighter now, but trading Taylor Hall could make things grow even faster. The growth of players like Jesper Boqvist and Jesper Bratt will begin to grow like never before. Even a 27-year-old rookie in Nikita Gusev will gain more ice time, and time to produce big numbers. Hockey is a team sport and requires every individual on each line pair to click.

However, when Taylor Hall isn’t playing to what we expect of him, it scares a lot of viewers thinking “he just wants out for better or for worse.”

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The team that comes to mind in an ideal trade the Colorado Avalanche. Nikita Zadorov and Samuel Girard are potential targets, plus a 2020 1st-round pick that could be lottery protected. That gives Devils Director of Amateur Scouting Gates Orlando and his boss Paul Castron a huge early-round pick where they can evaluate a steep and very talented 2020 Draft Class.

The other portion of this equation means you get a top-two pairing left-handed defenseman in Samuel Girard who can utilize his speed, agility, hockey sense, hockey iq, and his ability to shoot through traffic. His style of play is exactly how the Devils can add spice and flavor to a power play that’s beginning to flourish. Now, if you really want to add someone who can score with size, physicality, and that ability to shut down other teams as a right-handed defenseman you have that in Nikita Zadorov.

The Devils haven’t had a true shutdown defender since Daneyko and Stevens retired, except maybe Anton Volchenkov. However, he wasn’t even close to that physical defender when he finished his tenure in New Jersey. So having that extra emphasis in a shutdown defender and a defender that can be a scorer like Zadorov will take pressure off Subban, Sami Vatanen, and Damon Severson. Samuel Girard on the other hand will allow Will Butcher, and possibly Colton White (when called up) to slot properly in their roles.

After a possible Taylor Hall trade is executed for the right deal at the right time, having guys like Jack Hughes and Nico Hischier as centers for the long term will become the big captains despite how short they have been on this team. This will allow guys like both Jeseper Bratt, and Jesper Boqvist to play with guys like Nikita Gusev more often. Building a chemistry where on the ice in the clubhouse and off the ice they can remain positive.

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