Taylor Hall would like an extension of his contract with the Boston Bruins, even though the wing does not want to be the “focal point” of his new team.
The Bruins swapped for the 29-year-old left wing on Sunday by sending a second round of 2021 in the second round and sending Anders Bjork to the Buffalo Sabers for Hall and center Curtis Lazar. Hall becomes an unlimited free agent after this season.
“I would like to be Brown for a few years,” Hall said. “Obviously it was a bad year for me personally and I have to play well. I have to contribute. I especially want to be part of a team that wins games. I really believe we can do it here.”
Hall was the NHL MVP in the 2017-18 season, but struggled to reach the heights again. After failing to secure the long-term contract he sought as a free agent last season – the Bruins were one of his suitors – Hall signed a $ 8 million deal with Sabers for one year. The team struggled tremendously and so did Hall: although he has 17 shots, he has only two goals in 37 games this season.
“I’m not the confident hockey player. During this year there was a lot of struggle, and goal shooting was one of them, of course. I have to regain part of my game,” he said.
The Sabers let Hall know he would be traded weeks before Monday’s deadline. His contract contains a complete clause without movement. Although Hall would not indicate whether he had turned down other trade destinations, he conceded that trade protection was helping the Sabers’ efforts focus on a deal with Boston, a place he had always wanted to play.
“Definitely, the no-move really helped me get Brown. Since I knew I would be traded the last few weeks, it was a team I really wanted to join,” he said.
One reason he wanted to end up in Boston: that it would not be ‘Taylor Hall’s team’. The veteran wing said he wants to play in a team that has other stars to establish the spotlight so he can concentrate on helping it win.
“I was the focus of many teams in my career,” he said. ‘I never made myself the focal point in the situations I was in. The first chance I was in free agency, I went to Buffalo, a team that had a man in Jack Eichel, a player who I thought was better than me. I just wanted to be one of the guys, I wanted to be in a successful team.
“Eventually it did not work out in Buffalo. But to Boston there are so many players in that team. Hall of Famers. When I see these guys, I’m excited to be part of the group and just one of the guys. I expect “Not to come in and set the league on fire. I want to win games.”