Taylor Hall is eager to begin a new chapter with the Carolina Hurricanes after struggling to find his place with the Chicago Blackhawks over the past season and a half.
The 33-year-old winger was traded to the Hurricanes last week, with the Blackhawks retaining 50 percent of Mikko Rantanen’s cap hit in exchange for a third-round draft pick. Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson defended the relatively small return earlier this week, but Hall is clear that he was relieved to leave Chicago.
“My playing time in Chicago, for whatever reason, wasn’t what I would have liked it to be,” Hall told Scott Powers of The Athletic on Thursday. “So, I was happy to be traded, and I was happy to come to a really good team with a strong culture and a structure that fits me well.”
Hall was initially traded to the Blackhawks in 2023 as part of the Boston Bruins’ effort to clear salary, with his $6 million cap hit through this season. He posted two goals and four points in 10 games last season and had nine goals and 24 points in 46 games this year with Chicago. Since joining the Hurricanes, he has registered one assist in two games.
Hall acknowledged that he wasn’t a good fit for the Blackhawks’ rebuilding phase, as they focused on developing younger players.
A first overall pick by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2010 draft, Hall now joins the Hurricanes as the seventh team in his 15-year NHL career.
“Not everyone’s career goes exactly how they want,” Hall said. “I could sit here and feel sorry for myself, but I’m excited to be here. I’ve played almost 900 games and now I have a chance at a Stanley Cup this year. That’s my mindset.”
Reflecting on his career, Hall noted, “I became a free agent during Covid, probably the worst-ever time to become a free agent. I was traded to Arizona, where the future was uncertain, and I didn’t want to take the contract offered to me. Then, Covid free agency was what it was.
“I didn’t want to get traded from Boston. I ended up on a rebuilding team (Chicago), and their timeline just didn’t match mine. Now, here we are. It’s been a journey. Not every player stays with the same team throughout their career, and I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished. There’s still a lot ahead of me.”
Hall has 275 goals and 722 points in 880 career games, and he’s on track to make his sixth career playoff appearance with Carolina this season.
