Coming off a major knee injury, former Hart Trophy winner Taylor Hall is set to return to the Chicago Blackhawks lineup. Hall skated in only ten games for Chicago last season before suffering a torn ACL. Hall was set to be Connor Bedard‘s running mate following an offseason trade from the Boston Bruins last June. With the 32-year-old Hall set to rejoin the Blackhawks in 2024-2025, what can we expect to see from the NHL veteran?
Taylor Hall‘s 2023-2024 Season
Taylor Hall had dealt with a substantial amount of injuries in 2023-2024 before his ACL injury. Hall had already missed six games last season due to a separate knee injury and a shoulder injury. Hall would end up being the first domino to fall in a long line of Blackhawks injuries last season. The trade didn’t go exactly how the Blackhawks had hoped but it did also bring in de facto captain Nick Foligno. Hall never got to show Blackhawks fans what he could bring to the table and his partnership with Bedard was never experienced.
The Hawks felt the loss of Hall all season, never being able to replace his production. As a result of Hall and all of the Blackhawks injuries in 2023-2024, the Hawks never were able to gain any momentum and once again were one of the worst teams in the NHL last season.
Hall’s Return to the Lineup
The Blackhawks have made many improvements to their lineup through free agency this offseason. The Hawks made two key major moves to their top six signing Toronto Maple Leafs Tyler Bertuzzi and Carolina Hurricanes Teuvo Teravainen. These two moves will make Hall’s return to the lineup even more interesting. The Hawks also added depth forwards like Pat Maroon and Craig Smith to bulk up their bottom six.
Hall is entering his early thirties. After a major knee injury, it is hard to know what kind of level he might be playing at in 2024. Hall’s health is a major concern going into the 2024-2025 season considering he had already had a list of injuries not even twenty games into 2023. Taylor Hall can still be a significant contributor, but he needs to prove he can still play top-six minutes following his injury.
The Blackhawks can opt to put Hall on the top six and demote a player like Philipp Kurashev. They could also move Hall into a middle/bottom-six role early in the season and monitor how he plays. Hall will also play the role of veteran leader, with new prospects expected to join the Hawks next season.
What Does Taylor Hall’s Future Look Like?
Taylor Hall is entering the final year of a four-year $24,000,000 deal he signed with the Boston Bruins. This puts Hall into a situation where he could be moved at the trade deadline. That’s if he manages to bounce back and perform well from his injury. Even if Hall doesn’t perform well, the Blackhawks don’t have much to risk in keeping him. Good play or not, Hall will likely leave Chicago after this season. It is hard to see Hall wanting to stay with a team that could very easily not have a spot for him past this season. It’s also likely Hall would want to join a team with Stanley Cup aspirations.
Taylor Hall is a key player to watch in both training camp and in the regular season. He is a very talented player who’s entering his early 30s, an age many players begin to struggle. That being said, if the Blackhawks manage to compete this season, Hall might play a big role. Right now, it is unknown what exactly we can expect from Hall heading into this season.
Main Photo Credit: David Banks-USA TODAY Sports
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