By: Gayle Troiani | Follow me on Twitter @LadyBruinsFan
Taylor Hall not being the focal point of any team is a pretty good indication that this team is incredibly deep, and that’s precisely why he fits in so well in Boston. Hall does not have to be the leading scorer or even play on one of the top two lines to have an impact in a Bruins uniform, and that’s precisely why he wanted to be here.
Going back to when Boston acquired Hall at the Trade Deadline in the 2020-2021 season, Hall was having a less than-productive season in Buffalo (two goals and 17 assists), one that he fully acknowledges. As a result, Hall had a no-movement clause in his one-year deal with Buffalo but agreed Boston would be a good fit and was traded to the Bruins along with Curtis Lazar for Andres Bjork and a second-round pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft.
“That was one of the biggest reasons why I wanted to play in Boston. That’s why I’m so happy I’m traded here,” Hall told the media in 2021 following the trade from Buffalo. “I’ve been the focal point on a lot of teams in my career, and I never made myself the focal point. That’s just the situation I’ve been in.
“Going to Boston, there are so many great players on the team, Hall of Famers, guys that just have had amazing careers; careers that if I had anything like that at the end of my career, I would be super happy with. […] I don’t expect to come in and light the league on fire; I just want to come in and win games. I want to be a part of a winning team.”
The Bruins have been a force on the ice this season, leading the league in goal differential, plus 68, and with an overall record of 32-4-4 for 68 points, have a comfortable 9-point lead over second-place Toronto in the standings. Boston has two games in hand over Toronto, and Hall has been an intricate part of the team’s success.
With 13 goals, Hall is tied with Brad Marchand for second on the team and sits sixth with 29 points, not far behind Patrice Bergeron (33 points), David Krejci (31 points), and Jake DeBrusk (30 points). In addition, Hall leads the team with five game-winning goals. Hall is on pace to score 32 goals and would mark just the second time he reached the 30-goal mark.
The on-ice production of Hall and his linemates, Charlie Coyle (10 goals, 13 assists) and Trent Frederic (17 points), are causing the rest of the league to take note that they may be the best third-line in the NHL. The line is reminiscent of the 2011 line of Krejci centering Milan Lucic and Nathan Horton, and we all remember how effective that line was on their run to the Stanley Cup Championship.
Hall and his teammates look to improve their 19-0-3 record at home when they welcome the Seattle Kraken to the TD Garden tonight at 7 p.m. Seattle (24-12-4) have won six in a row and are 7-2-1 in their last 10.
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