[Signing] Buffalo signs Taylor Hall (1 yr, $8 mil, NMC, NTC)

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by cannon7

Approaching your NHL career in such a cynical way surely will pay dividends.

Or, he goes on a playoff run in Buffalo. I don't see it as cynical as much as it is pragmatic. Either way, Hall will play in the playoffs next year with the team for which he wants to play. That sounds pretty smart to me.

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[Scroopy Noopers]

I mean, he just saddled up with one of the most elite centres in the game. I was surprised, but it’s not thaaaat crazy.

[TheoFleury]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

Or, he goes on a playoff run in Buffalo. I don't see it as cynical as much as it is pragmatic. Either way, Hall will play in the playoffs next year with the team for which he wants to play. That sounds pretty smart to me.

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Buffalo is Edmonton east. Hall, imo, went to Buffalo to play with Eichel and pump his stats to secure a 70m contract next offseason. Winning is not his main priority clearly. He would rather be a 90 point winger on a bubble team than a 60 point winger on Colorado or Boston

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[TheIronMaiden]

Fortunately the Flames appear to have a little more cap flexibility moving into next off-season. That is if the cap doesn't dramatically go down.

[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by TheoFleury

Buffalo is Edmonton east. Hall, imo, went to Buffalo to play with Eichel and pump his stats to secure a 70m contract next offseason. Winning is not his main priority clearly. He would rather be a 90 point winger on a bubble team than a 60 point winger on Colorado or Boston

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I think playing with Eichel was a huge part of it. But with the NTC and NMC he negotiated it seems pretty clear to me that he is also mindful of where he will be when the playoffs start. He can essentially pick his spot, so why not get your 90 pts, an extra $1.5 m AND play on a on a contending team when the time comes?

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[TheoFleury]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

I think playing with Eichel was a huge part of it. But with the NTC and NMC he negotiated it seems pretty clear to me that he is also mindful of where he will be when the playoffs start. He can essentially pick his spot, so why not get your 90 pts, an extra $1.5 m AND play on a on a contending team when the time comes?

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Fair enough. It's total a total mercenary play though. If it were me, I would've picked the team I thought had the best chance at winning long term combined with a willingness to commit to me. It annoys me that buffalo is going to get more assets to ruin when they are forced to trade hall

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[Textcritic]

Originally Posted by TheoFleury

Fair enough. It's total a total mercenary play though. If it were me, I would've picked the team I thought had the best chance at winning long term combined with a willingness to commit to me. It annoys me that buffalo is going to get more assets to ruin when they are forced to trade hall

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Which team was that? So far the only clear information we have received is that Colorado was also offering only a one-year deal for considerably less money.

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[VladtheImpaler]

Don't forget how much ego these guys have and the fact that they are poor analysts. If I put myself in Hall's shoes... Pitt and Wash are aging out of relevance, Bos and Tam are losing players. Buff has some good talent, and with TAYLOR F-ING HALL added, why not the Sabres?

[Calgary4LIfe]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

I think playing with Eichel was a huge part of it. But with the NTC and NMC he negotiated it seems pretty clear to me that he is also mindful of where he will be when the playoffs start. He can essentially pick his spot, so why not get your 90 pts, an extra $1.5 m AND play on a on a contending team when the time comes?

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All true, and if that does happen, he also has the benefit of a 'trial run' with his new team to see the fit before he commits to 7 or 8 years there. If he doesn't like it, he can move on again in the off-season to his 'plan B' team.

[rhino]

My guess on a 1 year deal... Hall didn’t want to be made available on the expansion list if he has a bad year on a high money deal. Perhaps no one was willing to give him a NMC for more than 1 year and next year he can be somewhere more long term

[flamesrule_kipper34]

Originally Posted by Textcritic

I think playing with Eichel was a huge part of it. But with the NTC and NMC he negotiated it seems pretty clear to me that he is also mindful of where he will be when the playoffs start. He can essentially pick his spot, so why not get your 90 pts, an extra $1.5 m AND play on a on a contending team when the time comes?

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But either way it's a gamble and definitely a bet on himself.

What if his linemates stink it up? What if he gets injured?

What if he stinks it up? He hasn't been very good for about a year now (for whatever reason that was/is).

Anyway I see why he did it, but it's a gamble as the top UFA that was available for this year.

[Husky]

Originally Posted by Scroopy Noopers

I mean, he just saddled up with one of the most elite centres in the game. I was surprised, but it’s not thaaaat crazy.

And a top young D as well.

[Enoch Root]

First of all, I think it was a no brainer to prioritize Markstrom - getting a true #1 goalie was far more important.

Second, the only way Hall made sense for the Flames was if they could sign him along with trading Gaudreau (which would require the right return). There is no way you can structure a team with $27M tied up in LWs (Hall, Gaudreau, Tkachuk and Lucic). Hall would be a great add if you could make the right trade for Gaudreau though.

My guess is that the Flames never got anywhere on the trade front, which is why they never came back with a serious offer.

Also, based on the way things played out, with Hall signing a one-year deal, I suspect that his hopes for which teams would offer him the big long term contract never materialized. And I bet the Flames were high on his list.

I still would not be surprised if he ends up here.

[Classic_Sniper]

Well with Hall out of the picture, I think this spells the end of the Gaudreau trade rumors. Didn’t seem like Treliving was shopping either Monahan or Gaudreau very hard this offseason anyway. But without a proper premier playmaker or powerplay quarterback replacement, trading Gaudreau doesn’t really make sense anymore unless the Flames want to win every game 2-1.

Hall always scared me any way with his recklessness and injury prone nature. The Flames may have paid him 8 million to sit in the infirmary for half his contract, that doesn’t help the team very much. Who knows, maybe it works out better in the long run where the Flames can sign an Aleksander Barkov in 2 years instead.

I mean who knows, if that Neal/Lucic albatross contract is never signed, maybe the Flames land an Alex Pietrangelo this offseason. Maybe dodging Hall’s contract will be a bit like dodging another Neal scenario. Hall’s injury history can only be exacerbated as he exits his youthful 20’s, you just don’t heal the same way in your 30’s. Good luck to Hall in Buffalo, I’m sure he’ll light it up next to Jack Eichel, but it’s a risky play to sign a one year deal when you’re made of glass.

[bluejays]

Originally Posted by Classic_Sniper

Well with Hall out of the picture, I think this spells the end of the Gaudreau trade rumors. Didn’t seem like Treliving was shopping either Monahan or Gaudreau very hard this offseason anyway. But without a proper premier playmaker or powerplay quarterback replacement, trading Gaudreau doesn’t really make sense anymore unless the Flames want to win every game 2-1.

Hall always scared me any way with his recklessness and injury prone nature. The Flames may have paid him 8 million to sit in the infirmary for half his contract, that doesn’t help the team very much. Who knows, maybe it works out better in the long run where the Flames can sign an Aleksander Barkov in 2 years instead.

I mean who knows, if that Neal/Lucic albatross contract is never signed, maybe the Flames land an Alex Pietrangelo this offseason. Maybe dodging Hall’s contract will be a bit like dodging another Neal scenario. Hall’s injury history can only be exacerbated as he exits his youthful 20’s, you just don’t heal the same way in your 30’s. Good luck to Hall in Buffalo, I’m sure he’ll light it up next to Jack Eichel, but it’s a risky play to sign a one year deal when you’re made of glass.

I think the critique on Hall's injuries is fair. In the East he should be able to fly more. The West is a little more physical. I think he'll do well in Buffalo not being behind anyone. I hope it works out for him, but what a statement to make about winning then going there.

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

So, you are saying that if Leblanc fell off the cliff he would still have gotten the same contract because it was already signed?

I agree that SJ likely made some soft promises that if things planned out they would look after him.

But there could not have been any signed deal in the bottom drawer.


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The market fell of a cliff and it seems he got the contract originally agreed/promised.

[The Cobra]

Originally Posted by powderjunkie

The market fell of a cliff and it seems he got the contract originally agreed/promised.

But he did not fall off the cliff.


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[Classic_Sniper]

Originally Posted by fleury

I think the critique on Hall's injuries is fair. In the East he should be able to fly more. The West is a little more physical. I think he'll do well in Buffalo not being behind anyone. I hope it works out for him, but what a statement to make about winning then going there.

I guess it’s possible, but he was injured in every season he played for the NJD including the biggest injury of his career just last season. The sheer number of Knee and Ankle injuries this guy has had is mind boggling. These are all in his 20’s as well. I can’t imagine he’ll be bouncing back as well when he’ll be entering his 30’s next year.

He’s the type of player who relies on his explosive speed to do what he does and if almost all his injuries are lower body related, at some point it just has to take its toll on him. That’s why I’m surprised he took a 1 year deal, if I was his agent or in his shoes, I’d take the longest term deal possible, even if the AAV isn’t quite as high as guaranteed security trumps all. A player in his position and with his injury history could easily suffer another big set back or stink it up next season and poof, the gravy train is now over.

[Yoho]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1315711156410032129

[powderjunkie]

Originally Posted by The Cobra

But he did not fall off the cliff.


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Sure, but I'm not sure his 39 pt pace warranted that contract in this environment?