Analyst Urges Maple Leafs to Acquire Taylor Hall From Blackhawks

The Toronto Maple Leafs are one of the top teams in the NHL and look like a legit Stanley Cup contender.

Toronto will be active ahead of the deadline looking to bolster its roster. The Maple Leafs will likely add a defenseman, and could also add a forward. NHL analyst Stephen Nixon of EditorinLeaf on FanSided urges Toronto to trade for Taylor Hall of the Chicago Blackhawks.

“One name that would be a perfect fit in Toronto is Taylor Hall,” Nixon wrote. “A pending UFA, Hall is a former Hart Trophy who would probably love to play for his “hometown” team. With 13 points in 29 games, Hall’s stats aren’t exceptional but he is playing on a terrible team.

“Hall could really benefit from playing alongside John Tavares and William Nylander, as I think those three could find instant chemistry,” Nixon added. “Even if it’s not Hall, there will plenty more names that pop up in the next few months, but the Leafs desperately need one more offensive winger because if they can find that piece, they will be legitimate Stanley Cup favorites.”

Hall would be a middle-six player for the Maple Leafs and could add some offense for the playoffs. Hall was the MVP winner in 2018. This season with the Blackhawks, he’s skated in 39 games recording 8 goals and 13 assists for 21 points.

Analyst Details Hall’s Fit With Maple Leafs

If Toronto does trade for Hall as Nixon suggests, the analyst believes he would fit perfectly on the third line.

Nixon believes Hall could play alongside Max Domi and Fraser Minten, which could create a third line that can not only defend but also score.

“As a veteran, he has very high hockey IQ which would benefit besides Fraser Minten and Max Domi. That would essentially push Bobby McMann to the fourth line, replacing Pontus Holmberg. I have no issue with that as well, because his big-body is perfect on the fourth line, plus it gives that line a little extra scoring touch,” Nixon wrote.

“Holmberg doesn’t provide much offensively to begin with, so McMann’s a better option there, as the Leafs desperately need another legitimate second-line winger,” Nixon added.

Addin Hall would make the Maple Leafs offense that much deeper and that much harder to play against.

Blackhawks Likely to Deal Hall

Adding Hall would be realistic for the Maple Leafs as Chicago is likely to trade Hall.

The former first-overall pick is in the final year of his four-year $24 million deal. With Hall in the final year of his deal, and Chicago outside of a playoff picture, The Athletic’s Scott Powers says Hall is the likeliest player to be dealt.

“Taylor Hall is the likeliest Blackhawks player to appeal to contending teams at the deadline. Although his production has tailed off in the last month, he’s still close to a 20-goal pace,” Powers wrote. “As one NHL executive reminded me, Hall is producing around the same as when he was on a quality Boston Bruins team not too long ago. GMs also won’t forget Hall scored five goals in seven playoff games in 2023. Those things matter to contending teams looking for additions at the deadline.

“Hall is probably seen as a potential secondary scoring option,” Powers added. “There’s a slight chance the Blackhawks can get a second-round pick for Hall, but most league sources I spoke to believed a third-round pick was more likely. The Blackhawks could boost Hall’s value by retaining half of his $6 million salary cap hit.”

Hall has skated in 871 career games in the NHL recording 274 goals and 444 assists for 718 points.

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