Deja Vu: Taylor Hall to the Boston Bruins?
Back in 2010, there was an ongoing debate over "Taylor vs. Tyler." Would the Boston Bruins get Taylor Hall or Tyler Seguin in the draft? It was like the classic Twilight saga debate - are you Team Jacob or Team Edward?
The Bruins ended up picking Seguin second overall, while the Edmonton Oilers snagged Hall first overall. Each player had almost equal value, both having outstanding seasons in the OHL before entering the draft.
Now, a decade later, both Seguin and Hall are in wildly different positions. We all know the Bruins traded Seguin to the Dallas Stars in 2013, meanwhile, Hall has been passed around from Edmonton to New Jersey, and now, Arizona. With Seguin currently playing for the Stanley Cup and no sign of him ever leaving Dallas, everyone is talking about Hall once again, who is now rumored to be on the market for yet another trade.
Related: A Look Back at Tyler Seguin's Bruins' Career
The Bruins are in for a busy offseason, with rumors swirling as they always do. The biggest question mark is whether the Bruins can make another run with their current roster. The core is aging and as much as we want to close our eyes and ignore it, it's time we face the facts.
So, what is a team to do?
Since they still have so much potential, it wouldn't be smart to make any major changes - at least not yet. ESPN writer Greg Wyshynski thinks Hall is a piece the Bruins should look to acquire. Wyshynski commented on the matter, saying, “Even with the flat cap, the Bruins will have over $15 million in space with which to play. Some upgrades in speed and toughness would be paramount. Our favorite Bruins pipe dream? That Taylor Hall decides to take a page out of the NBA and chases a Cup for one season in Boston, serving as the talented left-wing Sweeney has coveted in his lineup for years.”
Hall has had his fair share of disappointing seasons playing for teams that can't seem to win. Although the Arizona Coyotes made the playoffs this year, they were swiftly eliminated by the Colorado Avalanche in the first round four games to one. Hall is hungry for a championship and will be a free agent this offseason.
Plenty of Bruins fans are calling for more secondary scoring in the lineup. This season wasn't Hall's best, as he scored just 16 goals in 65 games played. He was sidelined with a knee injury during the 2018-2019 season, so that can be overlooked. Most notably, in 2017-2018, he won the Hart Memorial Trophy for putting up 93 points in 76 games played with the New Jersey Devils. If Hall can reach that level again, especially if he were to play on the second line with David Krejci, he could make a major difference on the ice.
So, is Hall going to be wearing the Spoked B after all? Is he a crucial addition to a squad whose championship window is closing? It feels like nothing more than deja vu, but Hall to Boston is (once again) a "pipe dream" that just may turn into reality.