Chicago Blackhawks
Taylor Hall: ‘I Was Happy to be Traded’

When the Chicago Blackhawks last played the Carolina Hurricanes, Taylor Hall suited up for them. He will be on the other bench tonight after being traded to Carolina last Friday. The trade came just a few days after the former Hart Trophy winner lamented staying on with the Blackhawks beyond this season.
“I came into this year wanting to continue being a Blackhawk for years to come,” Hall said. “I don’t know if that’s going to be the case anymore, but I’ll leave that door open for sure. I understand that it’s a business, and the team’s going to do what’s best for them. I guess we’ll see what happens.”
His story changed a bit when meeting with the media after today’s morning skate in Raleigh.
“My playing time in Chicago, for whatever reason, was not where I would have liked it to be,” he said, per Mark Lazerus of The Athletic. “So, I was happy to be traded, and I was happy to come to a really good team. They’re on a different timeline than my career is right now, so I get it.”
He also mentioned how he and Ryan Donato were pushed down in the lineup despite being productive because of the young players getting called up from Rockford. Yes, that’s what happens when you play for a rebuilding team.
One thing I’ve appreciated about covering Hall over the last year and a half was his honesty and willingness to tell you exactly how he feels. The NHL needs more guys like this, who go beyond the same tired cliches and give you some real substance. However, sometimes reality tells a different story.
In 46 games with the Blackhawks, Hall had nine goals and 24 points while being a minus-15. He also had 40 giveaways, the fourth-most on the team. He was a healthy scratch earlier in the season when Luke Richardson was behind the bench. Hall wasn’t exactly forced down the lineup because Frank Nazar and Colton Dach were recalled. If anything, those moves should have sparked him to play even better, but we never saw.
I’m happy Hall can play for a contender and finally get his name on the Stanley Cup. He will be a nice piece to their puzzle. He was a true professional during his time in Chicago, but let’s not write revisionist history less than a week removed from being traded. The only person who put Hall in a lesser role with the Blackhawks was Hall himself.