The Edmonton Oilers are in a strong position as they head toward the 2024-25 season. They are coming off of a solid season where they were just one win away from winning the Stanley Cup after a crazy bounce back from a lackluster start, and have set their sights on winning their sixth Stanley Cup in franchise history after a strong offseason. As a contending team, the Oilers will have their sights set on building the best team possible, and by the time the 2025 Trade Deadline rolls around, they should have a pretty good idea of what they need to upgrade if they want to be buyers. One player whose name consistently comes up during the trade deadline is forward Taylor Hall, who was drafted by the Oilers and spent several seasons with them earlier in his career.
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Hall didn’t play much during the 2023-24 season, as he suffered a major injury that held him to just 10 games. However, he seemed to be a solid fit with the Chicago Blackhawks alongside Connor Bedard during their short stint together. The difference between the Oilers and Blackhawks is their goals for the upcoming season. While the Oilers will be contenders and looking to push for a championship, the Blackhawks will continue their rebuild, hoping that their free agency splashes will give Bedard an offensive boost and keep them away from dead last in the NHL.
Hall’s name has come up plenty of times in trade talks over the years. When he joined the Buffalo Sabres and they began to struggle, he was expected to be dealt and was eventually traded to the Boston Bruins. While he ultimately re-signed with the Bruins on a four-year deal, he was traded to the Blackhawks as the Bruins needed to clear cap space, and he was caught on the outside looking in. If the Oilers find they want to bolster their bottom-six forward group heading into the postseason, a reunion with Hall could be in the realm of possibility.
Hall Could Be Open to Reunion, Even With Lessened Role
The last time the Oilers had Hall, he was viewed as one of their go-to forwards who was expected to provide offensive production alongside Connor McDavid. While he has stayed strong offensively and plays a sound defensive game, he will have to take a smaller role now as the Oilers are a much deeper team with a stronger top-six than when he was a first-line forward. While some fans remember reports of Hall being a cancer in the locker room, those reports were never proven true, and his stint with the Blackhawks proved his leadership abilities were intact alongside Bedard.
Hall is getting older now, at 32 years old. He is a former MVP winner who had a solid season with the New Jersey Devils and carried them back to the playoffs in his second season with them. Still, he may be looking to push for a championship before he enters the veteran seasons of his career.
The Oilers would bring Hall in as a third-line forward if they decided to bring him in at all. It’s not hard to see that the Oilers could use some extra depth that has proven successful up front, and with Hall’s history in Edmonton, the fit makes sense. While a Hall trade to the Oilers isn’t something that anyone should consider betting on, it could happen if Evander Kane isn’t able to bounce back and Derek Ryan continues to decline rapidly. If Hall is open to a reunion in a depth role, the Oilers should be trying to make something happen at the trade deadline.
