It’s becoming more and more apparent that the chances of the Arizona Coyotes signing forward Taylor Hall are diminishing quickly. With the devastating losses that the team took at the hands of the Colorado Avalanche, it’s looking like he’s headed to free agency.
Taylor Hall Wants to Play for a Winner
If Hall is adamant about playing for a winner and a team with a good chance of winning a Stanley Cup, he is surely looking elsewhere for his next contract. Oh right… he does seek from $9-$10 million for a long-term contract.
Two factors seem to establish the concept that the Coyotes will not be keeping Hall on their roster. For one, they made a really low-ball offer of five years for $7.25 million per year that surely will not meet Hall’s demands. The other factor is with the salary cap limit staying put at $81.5 million due to the losses teams incurred caused by the pandemic, not many teams will be able to pay Hall what he seeks.
That could have motivated him enough to stay in Arizona except that they will not be a Cup contender and may not even be in the playoffs next season. The only way they got in this year was due to the COVID shortened season. The NHL allowing 24 teams into a qualifying round and the Coyotes were ranked 11th in the Western Conference. While they did manage to get past the Nashville Predators, they failed miserably against the Avs who stomped them in three of the four games they won.
Where Taylor Hall Maybe Signed
Colorado Avalanche
The obvious choice here may be the Avalanche who will have $22.4 million in cap space. Of course, they have other players to sign, and signing Hall may not be on their radar. Considering how well the Avalanche are doing in the playoffs and how many offensive threats they already possess, it’s curious as to whether they would sign Hall.
Likelihood: fair to good
Montreal Canadiens
They need to determine what they are doing with Max Domi, and if he gets traded or re-signed. Montreal will have about $18.4 million to spend and it seems that this team needs a good forward to put them over the top. They did get past the Pittsburgh Penguins and that’s saying something.
Likelihood: fair
Winnipeg Jets
The Jets need defensive help more, but adding Hall to an already explosive offence can’t hurt. With $15.5 million reasons to consider Hall, they’ve got to be looking at how to get to the next level, and Hall could help.
Likelihood: fair to good
Calgary Flames
Another team who just can’t get over the hump and they have a good collection of players. Yet, they got eliminated by the Dallas Stars. Adding another forward with upside like Hall could get them further along in the playoffs next year. That is especially true if the star duo of Jamie Benn and Tyler Seguin go into hiding again on the scoresheet. With $16.9 million to sign Hall they also have about $13 million tied up into signing soon to be free agents on their roster. That’s tough.
Likelihood: poor due to cap limitations
Boston Bruins
The perfect setting for Hall’s requirement to be on a winner. Things are a bit similar to a soap-opera right now in Beantown, so until the smoke clears with the Tuukka Rask drama it’s difficult to gauge. Putting that aside this seems to be Hall’s best option to raise the Stanley Cup. The other problem is the team needs to figure out how to sign Torey Krug who is coming off of a $5.25 million AAV deal. He’ll be looking for a deal in the vicinity of $8 million AAV. There are four or five other players needing new contracts too. Could they afford both Hall and Krug? Doubtful since they also have four to five other players needing new contracts.
Likelihood: poor due to cap limitations
Dallas Stars
The Stars have gotten past the first round and adding a player like Hall can really make them an even scarier team. When they added Joe Pavelski, it was clear they wanted his leadership and experience. Hall can definitely score and take it to the net, so we’ll see if their bank account of $18.5 million is enough to entice Hall. He’d be on a true contender and that’s what he seeks.
Likelihood: good to excellent
Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks have $17.1 million in cap space and could really use Hall’s abilities to continue to improve this up and rising young club. The problem is they need to sign so many of their current roster players. Jacob Markstrom ($3.67M), Tyler Toffoli ($4.6M), Chris Tanev ($4.45M), and Jake Virtanen ($1.25M). That amounts to $14 million at current cap salaries which will rise if re-signed. That makes it very difficult to add Hall.
Likelihood: poor due to cao limitations
Arizona Coyotes
Last but not least, is Hall’s present team. Besides the issues presented above, to make a Hall signing even close to feasible financially will take some due diligence. The Yotes will only have $1.51 million to work with, and that’s not going to do it without some drastic roster moves. Even with the $5.275 million from the Marian Hossa long term injured reserve, they are far short of what it will take to even get mild interest from Hall.
They would need to not sign Carl Soderberg ($4.75M), Brad Richardson ($1.25M). Or, consider trading either Derek Stepan ($6.5M), Michael Grabner ($3.354M), or Antti Raanta ($4.25M). Even with a trade, they will need players to replace the players moved.
This is why the Coyotes are in a bind. Departed former general manager John Chayka got Hall to the desert and gave up quite a bit to do it. It was a gamble and it seems the Coyotes have lost some promising prospects and draft selections all for nothing.
Likelihood: slim to none unless cap space is addressed
Hall Will Sign With a Team of His Choice
Like any other free agent, Hall will weigh the options he has to see which one is to his favour. He can really help any of the teams listed above and is still young at 28-years-old. Hall wants that long-term deal worth $9-$10 million but in today’s pandemic salary cap freeze, will he get it?
He did well individually with the Arizona club. He really didn’t help their record much and they wouldn’t have made the playoffs had the season not been interrupted. Hall needs to find a team that can take him to his dream of winning a Stanley Cup.
We will soon find out who that team is.
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