It finally makes sense for Taylor Hall to be a public enemy now that he's in Carolina

The New Jersey Devils are looking for the players that make the most sense for their team as the NHL Trade Deadline approaches. They've been tied to a few players, with J.T. Miller being the biggest name who could be in their midst. If Miller didn't work out, some thought Taylor Hall could be a fun reunion. The former NHL MVP has not seen the same success since the Devils traded him to the now-defunct Arizona Coyotes.

Since being with the Devils, Hall has been with the Coyotes, Buffalo Sabres, Boston Bruins, and Chicago Blackhawks. There hasn't been a lot of success there, and the Devils are happy with their haul of Kevin Bahl (who was traded for Jacob Markstrom) and Dawson Mercer. Yet, many Devils fans still hold some hate in their hearts for Taylor Hall.

Now we admit, the end of the Taylor Hall tenure in New Jersey was tenuous. The "hand-to-the-ear" gesture was a little much, but that seems like an extreme reason to still hold hate towards Taylor Hall five years later. He's been through enough, and he hasn't been past the second round of the NHL Playoffs in his career. No matter what Hall wanted at the end of his Devils tenure, it seems petty to hate him after all he's been through.

Yet, now there is a reason to hate Taylor Hall. He's on one of the Devils's biggest rivals after the biggest trade of the year.

Hall is, of course, not the headliner in that trade. Mikko Rantanen getting traded is insane and out of nowhere, but the Taylor Hall piece is the most important to Devils fans. For one, Hall is now on the Devils second-biggest rival next to the New York Rangers. Hall putting on the Carolina Hurricanes jersey makes him an enemy that makes sense. A former Devils player who had a chance to return to New Jersey but instead was sent to the team the Devils are on the trajectory to face in the first round in the playoffs? Let the hate commence.

This trade shook the NHL to its foundation, and the move puts the Hurricanes into title contention. It also puts Hall into a position where Devils fans have been putting him for years, as a the number-one enemy of this team.