New Jersey left winger Taylor Hall met with local media for the first time since being acquired from the Oilers in June for blueliner Adam Larsson. NHL.com’s Cristina Ledra had a chance to sit down for a one-on-one with the 24 year old. Despite there being speculation dating back several years that one of Edmonton’s top young forwards would need to be moved, Hall didn’t expect it would be him that would get dealt away:
“There were definitely rumors, but you don’t actually think it’ll happen. You get attached to a team and to a city, and I’m sure the same thing will happen here, I’ll have the same connection to this team in a matter of months, but it was just shocking to hear those words and to be traded, but once you get over that and once you start looking at the team and the city and the situation, you get pretty excited, and that’s where I’m at now.”
Hall is expected to be the centerpiece of New Jersey’s attack in 2016-17 after putting up a 26 goal and 65 point campaign with the Oilers last season. He will likely form a line with junior teammate Adam Henrique and Kyle Palmieri to start next year, a trio that each had at least 50 points in 2015-16.
More from the East:
- Panthers center Vincent Trocheck has accepted an invite to be an alternate forward for Team North America at next month’s World Cup of Hockey, reports Harvey Fialkov of the Sun Sentinel. The North American squad is comprised of Canadian and American players aged 23 and under. Trocheck will only be able to play if one of the current members of the team gets injured before the beginning of the tournament.
- Canadiens right winger Alexander Radulov sat down with Alexey Shevchenko of Sport-Express to discuss his offseason (link in Russian). Among the highlights, courtesy of Igor Eronko of Sport-Express (all Twitter links), Radulov turned down more money to stay with CSKA Moscow of the KHL to take an NHL contract. He also noted that Detroit and Florida were other realistic options he considered while he also spoke with the Devils. Radulov was seeking a long-term deal but teams weren’t willing to take a risk on that at this time.
- The Islanders announced the re-signing of goaltender Christopher Gibson to a one year, two-way contract. Financial terms were not disclosed. Gibson made his NHL debut last year, getting into four games with the Isles, posting a 1-1-1 record with a 3.40 GAA and a .882 SV%. He also played in 42 games with their AHL affiliate in Bridgeport, going 19-11-6 with a 2.70 GAA, a .909 SV%, and two shutouts.