Free agent Taylor Hall sees 'fit' with Bruins, wants to return originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
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Taylor Hall is one of the most notable free agents the Boston Bruins must decide to re-sign or let go during the offseason. On Friday morning, he again made it clear what his intentions are.
"I see a fit, and hopefully they feel the same," Hall said during the team's season-ending media availability.
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"We'll let the dust settle and everything, I'm sure they have a lot going on, and some other guys who've been here a longer than me that they have to worry about, but hopefully we can make something work. That's obviously my goal and hopefully we can make that happen."
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Hall has played 11 seasons in the NHL. He's also made a lot of money as an elite player throughout his career. It sure sounds like being in one spot for a few years appeals to him after playing for four teams over the last two seasons.
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"I don't even know what my value is at this point. I feel like I had two different seasons. I'm not looking to absolutely maximize my value at this point in my career," Hall admitted.
"I've been fortunate enough to make some good money in this league and at this point it's about more of a fit for me than maybe money or a long-term thing. I just want to find a home for the next few years here, and we'll see what happens."
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The Bruins would be smart to re-sign Hall, for a few reasons.
One reason is they don't have enough scoring depth to let him go. Aside from Brad Marchand, David Pastrnak and Craig Smith, the Bruins don't have a ton of quality skill on the wing. Hall's ability to score goals, execute zone entries, contribute to the power play and set a physical tone each shift are all valuable.
Despite his struggles in the second-round loss to the New York Islanders, Hall proved to be a tremendous fit in Boston. He tallied 14 points (eight goals, six assists) in 16 regular season games for the Bruins after they acquired him from the Sabres before the April 12 trade deadline. Hall also played well in Boston's first-round playoff series against the Washington Capitals.
The second line of Hall with Smith and David Krejci gave the B's much-needed depth, drove puck possession at a high rate and outscored opponents by a wide margin during 5-on-5 action. Bringing that line back next for season -- Krejci also is a free agent -- should be a top priority for Bruins management.
