Taylor Hall News & Rumors: Pro Sports Daily

March 28

Edmonton Sun

"Shawn Horcoff and Ales Hemsky don't have sympathy pains, just scars. They've both had the same shoulder surgery that Taylor Hall is about to have and they know from experience that it's not a fun time. "It's a long injury, six months," said Horcoff, who had his done in 2008, after aggravating his shoulder at the All-Star game. "It's a longer injury, six months. The good news is that it's only six months between playing. He's going to be able to train fully six weeks after it's done. "It just takes a long time for it to heal because it's so far inside, and not a lot of blood gets there.""

Season cut short for Taylor Hall, who'll undergo shoulder surgery

March 28

Edmonton Journal

"Taylor Hall's sophomore season with the Edmonton Oilers is over. The winger, who has missed the last five games because of a concussion he sustained in a hit delivered by Calgary Flames defenceman Cory Sarich on March 16, has been sidelined for the rest of 2011-12 because of his wounded left shoulder. He injured the shoulder on Nov. 26 when Colorado Avalanche defenceman Ryan Wilson nailed him into the boards. Hall has been nursing the shoulder through every game he's played since Nov. 26, but after meeting with specialist Anthony Miniaci in Cleveland on Monday, it was decided he was better off having surgery, rather than trying to play a few more games."

Taylor Hall to undergo major shoulder surgery, out 5-6 months

March 28

Edmonton Journal

"This morning comes the unwelcome news that Taylor Hall's sophomore season has ended just as his rookie campaign did, with the Edmonton Oilers' young star on the injured reserve list. The issue is not the concussion which has sidelined Hall in recent games, but the left shoulder he injured back on November 26, when he was catapulted into the boards by hardrock Colorado defenceman Ryan Wilson. Hall returned after seven games on the shelf, but was reported at times to be nursing the shoulder. Turns out to be damage to his labrum, with major surgery needed to repair it."

Protecting RNH, other Oilers stars essential in rebuild

March 27

Edmonton Journal

columnist Jim Matheson

"NHL stars have an office where they work, but there's no sign anywhere in the workplace that says "admittance restricted." You can bother the league's best players, annoy them, even hit them, but must don't take a run at them. Jared Boll is an indiscriminate disturber who pretty much tries to hit everybody, as does his Columbus Blue Jackets teammate Derek Dorsett. But Boll was looking to do more than get in the hair of Edmonton Oilers rookie centre Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on Sunday when he tried to knock off his block in the open ice."

Renney rethinks Sarich hit on Hall

March 19

Edmonton Sun

"Upon second thought, Tom Renney would like to go back and analyze Cory Sarich's hit on Taylor Hall Friday. The Calgary Flames defenceman railroaded Hall early in the contest with a hit that concussed the Oilers sophomore and knocked him out of the lineup. Following the game, Renney stated he felt the clean was hit, but on Sunday, the Oilers head coach wanted to examine Sarich's intent on the play a little further. "The check was going to get finished no matter what," Renney said prior to Sunday's game against the Phoenix Coyotes. "One thing I forgot to check and see was whether they had a high reload to protect the pinch. If they didn't then it kind of makes you wonder what the intent was"

Oilers' Hall feeling better after Friday concussion

March 19

Edmonton Journal

"Taylor Hall's engine is always on overdrive, but the Edmonton Oilers forward is prepared to be idle for awhile as he tries to work through a concussion. Hall fell on Friday night and tumbled into the path of Calgary Flames defenceman Cory Sarich, 39 seconds into his first shift of the night at Rexall Place. Sarich's ensuing hip hit Hall in the head, then Hall's head snapped back and smacked the ice. He lay on the ice for several seconds before skating very gingerly to the dressing room where doctors quickly determined he had a concussion, Hall's first."

Taylor Hall misses Sunday's practice after injuring shoulder Friday

March 5

Edmonton Journal

"Taylor Hall, who tweaked his left shoulder when whacked by Mark Fistric early in the Edmonton Oilers' 3-1 loss Friday to the Dallas Stars, might not play against the Ducks in Anaheim on Monday night. Hall didn't practise Sunday after-noon after the Oilers' Saturday golf outing with owner Daryl Katz in Palm Springs, Calif. Oilers coach Tom Renney wouldn't rule out Hall for the game with the Ducks, who are in a mad scramble for a playoff spot in the Western Conference, but the Oilers have been in contact with their American Hockey League farm team to see about perhaps bringing up a healthier body."

Hall, young teammates know they have to pay their dues to garner more respect

March 2

Edmonton Journal

"Restraint is just not an element of Taylor Hall's game, so there are times when the Edmonton Oilers winger inevitably deviates from the high road. Sometimes he just has to share his frustration with the officiating crews. But as Hall, sophomore centre Jordan Eberle and rookie centre Ryan Nugent-Hopkins have discovered, there are dues to be paid when it comes to winning over the referees. "It's definitely frustrating," said Eberle, who has served just four minutes in 59 games. "As a young player, you don't get as much respect as the older guys on the ice, but it's part of the game. If you don't get a call, you just can't retaliate. I did that once this year and they scored on us."

Oilers kids show their mettle

February 24

Edmonton Sun

"Interim head coach Ralph Krueger was talking about his two scorers in perhaps his final game replacing concussed Tom Renney as the coach of the Edmonton Oilers. "I was coaching a country for 13 years that couldn't score goals," said the former national coach of Switzerland. "We would win games 1-0 or 2-1 or not at all. "When I came to training camp here last year, it's the one part of my coaching portfolio which has expanded — learning about offence and how these players are able to create and find holes. "It's the most exciting thing for me."

Hall breaks Dome goose-egg

February 22

Edmonton Sun

"So that's what life would be like without Miikka Kiprusoff's heroics? Having finally cracked the top eight and appearing ready to stay there with perhaps the easiest game left this season on their docket, the Calgary Flames goofed. The Flames zigged when everybody figured they'd zag. Taking the crowd out of the game early with a shockingly slow start that had the frenzied young Edmonton Oilers outskating and outworking the hosts, the visitors snapped a nine-game all-Alberta losing skid with a 6-1 spanking that will leave a mark every bit as nasty as the one sported by Oilers stalwart Taylor Hall."

Hall's frustration boiled over

January 23

Edmonton Sun

"Taylor Hall's meltdown came in front of a national television audience on Saturday. So did the questioning of his coach's decision to pull the goaltender in the later stage of a game when they were already three goals down. It was a reaction the Edmonton Oilers sophomore was regretting the next morning, even though many thought it was refreshing to see someone upset with the circumstances. "It was just a bit of frustration," said Hall. "We all want to win, we all care, and to have that kind of result and the effort that we put in (Saturday) night isn't what we wanted it. "After that goal, I was just so frustrated at the whole sequence of events and I wasn't singling out Tom by any means. I"

Hall back in Oilers lineup

January 22

Edmonton Sun

"Taylor Hall looked like he'd been in a title fight and lost. There are holes in the universe that aren't as black as Hall's eye was on Saturday. Yet despite sporting 30 stitches in his head and a shiner worth remembering, the Edmonton Oilers winger was back in the lineup against the Calgary Flames and was again one of the few players on his club that played like he cared. Unfortunately for Hall, not enough of his teammates followed his lead in a 6-2 loss to the Flames. "He certainly does play hard, I don't think this kid takes any games off ever," said Oilers head coach Tom Renney. "He plays hard, he's intense, he's very passionate about playing, he plays with all the spirit you look for,"

Hall 'counting his lucky stars', says his mother

January 19

Edmonton Journal

"If there's any possible good to come of her son's misfortune, it will be that Taylor Hall's teammates and his NHL peers will wear their helmets before they skate out for their next pre-game warm-up. Hall will definitely be wearing his when he suits up for the Edmonton Oilers. "We've had that discussion. Yes, he will be wearing his helmet," said Hall's mother, Kim Strba, from the family home in Kingston, Ont."

Mishap for Oilers' Hall sparks rumours

January 19

Edmonton Sun

"Taylor Hall was somewhat surprised to hear that he was done for the season. Especially since he's trying to be back in the Edmonton Oilers lineup by Thursday. A day after cutting his forehead on a skate blade during the pre-game warm-up in Columbus, the Oilers winger was still making news, real and otherwise. Management kept Hall away from practice and the media on Wednesday and the ensuing gap in information led to internet rumours that the prized winger would not be back this season."

Oilers helmet policy under review in wake of bloodletting

January 18

Edmonton Sun

"Had Taylor Hall being wearing a helmet during Edmonton's pregame warmup Tuesday night, he might be minus about 30 stitches on his forehead right now. He wasn't, though, and left the ice soaked in blood after a nightmarish accident with Corey Potter's skate blade. Needless to say, the Oilers helmet policy is now under review. "We're going to talk about it," said GM Steve Tambellini. "It was a bizarre happening, but it was a reminder that, whether practising, playing the game or in warmups, things can happen.""

Hall cut by skate prior to Oiler loss

January 18

Edmonton Journal

"As the doctors were stitching up the gruesome gash that stretched from the crown of Taylor Hall's head to the top of his eyebrow, the Edmonton Oilers offensive sparkplug tried to convince all around him that he was ready to go. Instead, Hall, who was injured in the pre-game warm-up and required treatment from the on-site plastic surgeon, was held out of Tuesday's game while the undermanned Oilers jumped out to a 2-0 first period lead against the Columbus Blue Jackets in Nationwide Arena. The 30th place Blue Jackets charged back and scored a 4-2 win at Nationwide Arena, leaving the Oilers with a record of 17-24-4 and one more player in the medical room."

Oilers' Hall injured in warmups

January 17

NHL.com

"The Edmonton Oilers are already without top-line phenoms Jordan Eberle and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins. On Tuesday night, Taylor Hall joined them among the injured. Hall was cut in the forehead by teammate Corey Potter's skate during warmups before Edmonton's game at Nationwide Arena against the Columbus Blue Jackets. He was helped to the dressing room by one of the team's trainers."

Hall's tenacity contagious

January 16

Edmonton Sun

columnist Terry Jones

"Watching Taylor Hall playing through the five-game losing streak, Edmonton fans saw a player who stood out from all the others. He was hungry. Night in and night out, he played a robust, charge-the-barricades game. But after the 5-0 debacle against the Anaheim Ducks last Friday, you had to wonder how much longer he could keep playing like his hair was on fire without being affected by those around him who were pulling the parachutes."

Taylor Hall gives Oilers 2-1 OT win

January 16

Edmonton Sun

"Sometimes all it takes is a little tough love. Or a severe beating. Whether it was the 5-0 butt kicking Anaheim laid on them Friday that got the Edmonton Oilers attention or the very harsh and public whipping that followed, it worked. The Oilers finally discovered the poise, persistence and passion that had been hidden under that mounting pile of frustration and defeat and used it to earn a measure of redemption Sunday night at Rexall Place. Make no mistake And, make no mistake, they needed one. "No matter how long it took, overtime or whatever, we wanted to get that win," said Taylor Hall, who snapped Edmonton's five-game losing streak with his power-play winner 3:06 into overtime to beat"

Oilers Hall shines on road swing

January 9

Edmonton Sun

"The Edmonton Oilers were far from their best, but it's tough to imagine Taylor Hall playing much better. The Oilers winger was one of the lone bright spots in what could turn out to be the end of a playoff-contending road trip. Hall had five goals and two assists in the seven consecutive games away from Rexall Place. He also hit three goalposts in the game against the New York Islanders where he failed to collect a point. "I thought I played well and I tried to contribute as best I could," said Hall. "I think that obviously I'm still doing something wrong, because we're not winning. That needs to be the focal point for everybody in this room and that's what I'm going to get back to, is"

Oilers' Hall playing like a man possessed

January 9

Edmonton Journal

columnist Jim Matheson

"On these dark days when the Edmonton Oilers can't win for losing — games and players — it was hard not to notice the dogged, give-me-the-puck game of Taylor Hall, who was a beast. He scored in Dallas, as he scored in St. Louis, as he scored in Buffalo, as he scored in Chicago. He also beat Niklas Backstrom in St. Paul, Minn., before he took Nate Prosser's stick smack in the mouth and looked like he'd been stung by a bee, his lip swelled so badly. He got clubbed over the back of the head in St. Louis by Roman Polak's lumber and was back about two shifts later with 10 stitches on his ear-lobe, a hazard of the business."

Hall fired up for return

December 15

Edmonton Journal

"Unless Taylor Hall flunks coach Tom Renney's Wednesday morning fitness test - a simulation of a hard game-type shift - before the Edmonton Oilers jet to Phoenix, you'll see Hall on the left wing with captain Shawn Horcoff and Ales Hemsky against the Coyotes Thursday night. That'll be 19 days and seven games he'll have missed since his left shoulder got the worst of a hellacious hit from Colorado Avalanche defenceman Ryan Wilson in Denver on Nov. 26. So, the club's two-to-four-week prognosis was pretty accurate. In a twist, Wilson is hurt now, out with a suspected concussion. Hall doesn't anticipate failing Renney's exam. "He says he doesn't have to even take it," Renney said, laughing."

Hall's first comeback

December 14

Edmonton Sun

"It's surprising, considering the reckless abandon with which he plays the game, but Thursday marks the first time in Taylor Hall's career that he will return to the lineup after injury. The sophomore winger is expected to play when the Edmonton Oilers travel to Phoenix to face the Coyotes. "Last year I didn't get to come back, this is kind of new territory for me," said Hall. "I'm just working as hard as I can in practice to get the timing back that's going to help me out. "I have to do a test (Wednesday) just to see if my fitness is at par. I have a feeling it will be and if it's good on that front, then I think I'll be ready." Hall has been out since Dec. 9, after suffering a shoulder"

Hall fired up for return to Oilers lineup

December 14

Edmonton Journal

"Unless Taylor Hall flunks coach Tom Renney's Wednesday morning fitness test — a simulation of a hard game-type shift — before the Edmonton Oilers jet to Phoenix, you'll see Hall on the left wing with captain Shawn Horcoff and Ales Hemsky against the Coyotes Thursday night. That'll be 19 days and seven games he'll have missed since his left shoulder got the worst of a hellacious hit from Colorado Avalanche defenceman Ryan Wilson in Denver on Nov. 26. So, the club's two-to-four-week prognosis was pretty accurate. In a twist, Wilson is hurt now, out with a suspected concussion. Hall doesn't anticipate failing Renney's exam. "He says he doesn't have to even take it," Renney said, laughing."

Oilers take their time with Hall

December 8

Edmonton Journal

"In his heart of hearts, Taylor Hall would like to play this weekend against the Flames in Calgary. Unfortunately, his head, which is a truer arbiter of all things medical, is telling Hall he can't hurry the rehabilitation after he damaged his shoulder two weeks ago this Saturday. "I can shoot and pass and don't have any pain ... there's some discomfort but, for the most part, I'm very happy with how it's coming along," said Hall, who skated with the Oilers on Wednesday morning as they prepared for the Carolina Hurricanes. "I'm supposed to get assessed by the (team) doctors during the game (Wednesday) to see how it is." If Hall gets the green light, he could take contact on Thursday, but"

Oilers' Hall hits the ice

December 2

Edmonton Sun

"The ice was right there, so what's Taylor Hall going to do? Not skate? Fat chance. When you were born to be a hockey player, a fresh, empty sheet is almost impossible to resist. So, with the rest of the Edmonton Oilers working out in the team gym, and with the blessing of the training staff, the injured winger went for his first twirl since banging up his shoulder in Denver last Saturday. "It's a good feeling to be out there and doing things that I didn't think I'd be doing this far ahead," said the 20-year-old sophomore. "I'm not sure if they thought I was going to be out there as soon as this. It feels good to be out so fast and a little bit ahead of schedule. "To be out there shooting"

Oilers lose Hall for two to four weeks

November 29

Edmonton Journal

"He was in a suit, not in a sling, and surgery is not scheduled for Taylor Hall, but the Edmonton Oilers dynamic winger will be out of the lineup for the next two to four weeks. Hall had an MRI on his left shoulder Monday. "I thought I was going to be out for a shorter period of time," he said, "but two to four weeks isn't bad. It's not like I'm missing a huge chunk of games, where it would take me three to four games to really get back into the swing of things. "I want to get back as quick as I can, obviously. I just have to try and rehab it as quick as possible .. make it as strong as possible.""

Tyler Seguin, Taylor Hall forever connected

November 11

Boston Herald

"We are still far too early in the whole Taylor-Tyler thing to say with any certainty how it's going to turn out. Who will be the better player, Taylor Hall or Tyler Seguin? In the months before Hall and Seguin were selected 1-2, respectively, in the 2010 NHL draft, most knowledgeable talent evaluators looked at the teenagers and concluded two things: • These were two can't-miss kids, destined for stardom. • Hall might be the better player in the early days of their NHL careers, but in the long run Seguin would be the better player. Early in Year 2 for the two former OHL rivals, that sure seems to be where we're headed. In the second pro matchup between the two players, Hall was good, with"

Taylor-Tyler comparison renews: Year 2

November 10

Edmonton Journal

"Second-best is a not a label Taylor Hall is comfortable with. It is why he led last season's Edmonton Oilers with 22 goals and garnered Calder Trophy consideration as the NHL's top rookie, right up until he left the lineup with a season-ending ankle injury. It's the reason why he couldn't help but feel a twinge of envy when Boston Bruins rookie Tyler Seguin was celebrating a Stanley Cup championship. And it is why he wants to get his game back on track; maybe even why he has been pressing the last four or five games."

Oiler Hall's Twitter account hacked

October 27

Edmonton Sun

"Oilers sensation Taylor Hall apologized to the Twitterverse Wednesday after someone hacked into his Twitter account and blasted the hockey team's fans. Following Tuesday nights' 3-2 Oiler win against the Vancouver Canucks, Hall's Twitter account -- sporting 84,944 followers -- was hacked and an offensive message was posted."

Oilers Hall thinks RNH should play

October 23

Edmonton Sun

"Taylor Hall doesn't get a vote, but if he did, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins wouldn't be worrying about the press box. Despite turning in a couple of mediocre games toward the end of his own nine-game audition last year, Hall was never a healthy scratch then and doesn't believe Nugent-Hopkins should be one now. "There were a couple of times last year when I was probably pretty close to sitting out a game and getting a bird's eye view, but it never happened," said the dynamic sophomore. "We're going to stand by whatever the team does, obviously, but for a young player to sit does suck. It might blow your confidence a little bit." As with all things relating to RNH, speculation he'd be scratched from"

Taylor Hall back in lineup

October 20

Edmonton Journal

"After spending a game in sick bay, Taylor Hall, the Oilers industrious winger, will return to the top line for tonight's contest against the Minnesota Wild. Hall missed Tuesday's game against the Calgary Flames. "I just had a really bad head cold. Everything was clogged up and it just got to the point where I couldn't sleep," he said after the morning skate. "I felt a little bit foggy out there just because I haven't done anything the last couple of days, but I'm sure by tonight I'll be fine." Shawn Horcoff was not on the ice, but head coach Tom Renney said the captain just had the morning off and that he would be in the lineup. Finally, Jordan Eberle, who was dinged up after taking a shot"

Better for Oilers Hall to sit

October 20

Edmonton Sun

"The Edmonton Oilers wanted no part of Taylor Hall and his flu bug. So when the Oilers winger woke up feeling under the weather Tuesday prior to their game in Calgary, the team shipped him home and had him quarantined. Hall underwent blood work on Wednesday, but is expected to be in the lineup Thursday against the Minnesota Wild. "He feels a lot better (Wednesday)," said Oilers head coach Tom Renney. "If we would have had to play (Wednesday) night, he would have been able to play in the game. "We quarantined him to keep him away from the club. I think he finally realized that he was unable to play.""

Oilers Hall praises Nugent-Hopkins effort

October 16

Edmonton Sun

"Taylor Hall was not interested in raining on Ryan Nugent-Hopkins parade Saturday. So despite getting a stick on the puck and forcing it into the back of the net in the second period, the Edmonton Oilers winger was hoping it had already crossed the line. "I was just banging at it. I have no idea whether it had crossed the line when I got up," Hall said. "I told him that I thought it was his goal. I was doing what any hockey player would do, just crash the net. "It's almost better to see him get his hat-trick then just me get a goal. Especially in his third NHL game, it's great to see.""

Oilers' Hall aims for breakout season as an NHL sophomore

October 9

Edmonton Journal

"Edmonton Oilers winger Taylor Hall has that look about him — like a wild colt that's about to explode for another run in a big empty field. That's what former Edmonton Oilers coach and general manager Glen Sather used to say about Hall of Famer Mark Messier when he was a frisky teenager. We're not sure if Hall also has a secret desire to be a rock star, to be up on the stage, à la Rolling Stones frontman Mick Jagger, as Messier once cackled. But there is no mistaking Hall's flight pattern and how he loves the puck on his stick, hopefully having it end up in the back of the net at the end of the flight. As Hall starts Year 2 of his NHL career, the sky's the limit for the 19-year-old. He had"

Oilers Hall understands the pressure

September 30

Edmonton Sun

"Turns out Taylor Hall is pretty good at keeping secrets. As he neared the end of his nine-game regular-season audition with the Oilers last year, media approached him on a daily basis asking if he thought he'd make the Oilers for good or be sent back to junior. Hall, who was minus-4 with just one assist in his first seven games, just shrugged his shoulders and pretended to have no idea. Turns out he'd already unpacked for good. "About four games into the season they told me and Eberle to get an apartment," he laughed. "Nobody knew about it, so around the seven-game mark when people were asking me if I thought I was going to be sent down, I was tempted to say 'Well, I already have a place"

Training camp's a lot easier second time around for Hall

September 30

Edmonton Journal

"This time last year, uneasiness was Taylor Hall's constant companion. Even the National Hockey League's No.1 draft pick did not know whether or not he was going to make the Edmonton Oilers' roster for the season opener. Hall said on Thursday that it wasn't until the regular season was five games old that he got the word that he was staying put, so he is well aware of the tension some of his teammates are now experiencing. "It is a tough time. All you can do is come to the rink and work as hard as you can, but it's not fun not knowing where you're going to be the next day," said Hall, who is in a much different frame of mind in his second NHL training camp as the Oilers head into their"

Oilers' three amigos ride again

September 29

Edmonton Sun

"On Tuesday, all the excitement was about the Edmonton Oilers young line of Taylor Hall, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jordan Eberle and how they ate up the Phoenix Coyotes. There was a time when Ales Hemsky, Shawn Horcoff and Ryan Smyth created a similar buzz, helping the club get to within one win of the Stanley Cup. And while the trio may have been overshadowed by their younger counterparts against the Coyotes, there is belief they can rediscover some of the magic that made them an effective unit in that playoff march all those years ago. "They looked like a veteran line in lots of ways, just how they managed the puck and they attacked the game," said Oilers head coach Tom Renney. "They maybe"

Oilers' new Kids Line delivers all the scoring

September 28

Edmonton Journal

"It's a little early to say Ryan-Nugent Hopkins, Taylor Hall and Jordan Eberle will be a happily-ever-after line with only 134 NHL games under their belt, but if this was a sneak peek into the future, Edmonton Oilers fans should all be smiling broadly today. The trio had seven points and 10 shots Tuesday as the Oilers babies took a huge bite out of the Phoenix Coyotes at Rexall Place. The Coyotes didn't come to Edmonton with defenceman David Schlemko and dressed only 75 per cent of their likely opening-night lineup, with pretty much their NHL defence. Yet, Hall had two goals and an assist when he drove the net recklessly and Nugent-Hopkins tapped in the loose puck for his first pro goal."

Taylor Hall gets first NHL action since ankle injury

September 20

Edmonton Journal

"Edmonton Oilers' winger Taylor Hall will see his first Rexall Place action Tuesday against the Minnesota Wild since spraining his ankle in the aftermath of a fight with Columbus forward Derek Dorsett in March. Hall will be on a line with newcomer Eric Belanger and Ryan Jones against the Wild. Anton Lander will be in the middle with fellow Swedes Magnus Paajarvi and Linus Omark on another line. Tyler Pitlick and Tanner House will be the other Oilers' centres. Rambunctious Ben Eager, signed as a free-agent this summer, will play with Pitlick."

Hall 'sick of working out,' thankful to return to the ice

September 18

Edmonton Journal

"The longer the weeks dragged on, the more Taylor Hall longed to get back on the ice. He had recovered from an ankle injury, put in his time in the gym — and then some. "By the end of the summer, I was getting sick of working out. I just wanted to get back on the ice," the Edmonton Oilers' prized pick from the 2010 NHL entry draft said after skating with Sam Gagner and Ales Hemsky during the first on-ice training camp session at Rexall Place. "I feel good, I feel strong, I feel like I have a pretty good base for this year. I hope that serves me well for the season. I think I had about three and half months to train this summer and last year it was about seven weeks. It was a big change.""

Get rich quick for Oilers' Hall?

September 18

Edmonton Sun

"Taylor Hall took Ryan Nugent-Hopkins out for dinner Friday evening. He didn't say if the name John Tavares came up or if they talked about his get-rich-quick plan. Tavares was the No. 1 pick in the NHL Entry Draft in 2009, Hall in 2010 and Nugent-Hopkins in 2011. Just prior to going to training camp with the New York Islanders, Tavares signed a six-year, $33-million extension on his entry level contract. That's $5.5 million a year. Tavares had 24 goals and 54 points in his rookie year and 29 goals and 67 points last year. Hall had 22 goals and 43 points despite missing the last 17 games of the season in his rookie year. Hockey salaries are negotiated these days using "comparibles." Tavares"

Rested Hall says playoffs possible

August 24

Toronto Sun

"It's been a longer off-season than usual for Taylor Hall. Prior to joining the Edmonton Oilers as the first overall selection in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, Hall had been accustomed to extended playoff runs that left him little time to re-energize during the summer. However, his season-ending ankle injury — and the Oilers failure once again to qualify for the playoffs — left the Calgary native plenty to time to recover this off-season. "It's been a good summer, although it was a little too long for my liking," said Hall, currently taking part in Perry Pearn's three-on-three camp at the K of C Twin Arenas. "Hopefully this year is a little bit shorter and we can make the playoffs and can do"

Hall looking to build off shortened rookie season

August 23

NHL.com

"Like any rookie, 2010's top draft pick, Taylor Hall, encountered a typically tough NHL debut. After recording a single assist in his first seven games, Hall struck for four points in a two-game span to close out October. From there, the young center showed flashes of brilliance, but it all ended on March 3rd, when a broken ankle sustained in a fight with Columbus' Derek Dorsett ended Hall's rookie campaign with a month left in the season. Hall addressed the ankle, among other topics, on Monday at a 3-on-3 tournament organized by Montreal Canadiens' assistant coach Perry Pearn. "My ankle healed up really well. It almost feels stronger than the other one, just because I worked on it so"

Hall likes what he sees in Nugent-Hopkins

June 24

Edmonton Journal

"Taylor Hall, who will probably be sitting at the Edmonton Oilers draft table Friday night for Round 1, likes what he's seen from Ryan Nugent-Hopkins on YouTube. Hall has heard all the talk about the Red Deer Rebels centre being only a shade more than 170 pounds, but he figures it's much ado about nothing. "He seems to have vision ... he looks like a really good passer and he's got good speed. He seems an ideal fit for the new NHL," said Hall, the Oilers' first overall selection last June at the entry draft in Los Angeles. Hall, who is 197 pounds now after finishing his first NHL season at 188, has also heard much about 210-pound Swedish defenceman Adam Larsson, likely the other 18-year-old"

Oilers get chance to draft complement to Taylor Hall

April 14

USA Today

"When the New Jersey Devils won the NHL draft drawing Tuesday night, the Edmonton Oilers were the biggest winner. There was a 51.8% chance that the Oilers, despite finishing 30th out of 30 teams, would end up with the No. 2 pick. But when the Devils beat the 3% odds to move up four spaces, they jumped from eighth to fourth. That meant for the second consecutive season the Oilers will be able to have the world's best 18-year old player. What it also means is that the Oilers have a chance to draft a yin to go with last year's yang. They aren't saying who they will pick, but it probably comes down to choosing between 6-3 Swedish defenseman Adam Larsson and skilled center Ryan Nugent-Hopkins,"

Oilers' Hall will watch NHL draft lottery on TV

April 12

Edmonton Journal

"Edmonton Oilers rookie winger Taylor Hall will be watching the NHL draft lottery at 6 p.m. Tuesday on TSN. "It was a crazy time last year, but I didn't realize it at the time that the lottery shaped my whole career, at least to start with," said Hall, who was involved in a long-running public debate about whether he or Tyler Seguin would be the better prospect. "It's a fun day. I'll be watching it on TV. I'm not sure if the players realize how it can shape their lives." One of the possible first overall picks is Kitchener Rangers winger Gabriel Landeskog, who played junior against Hall in the Ontario Hockey League last year. "He might be the most NHL-ready (North American guy. He's got a"

Taylor Hall intent on healing, not playing at World Championship

March 27

Edmonton Journal

"Edmonton Oilers winger Taylor Hall scoffed at the suggestion Saturday morning that he might be able to play in the world hockey championship in Slovakia, if asked. Hall, who sat out his 10th straight NHL game with a high-ankle sprain on Saturday night, was told it would take eight weeks for the ankle to heal after he tumbled to the ice with Derek Dorsett in the aftermath of their fight on March 3 in the Oilers' win over the Columbus Blue Jackets. Eight weeks is 56 days, so theoretically, Hall could be ready in late April. The tournament starts on April 29 with a preliminary round game against Belarus and another one against France on May 1. But Hall says the idea of him playing is folly,"

Taylor Hall on injury: "It sucks."

March 16

Edmonton Journal

"Taylor Hall had banked on playing his first NHL game, scoring his first NHL goal, but what the Edmonton Oilers young star hadn't foreseen was his first trip to the sidelines with an injury. And not just an injury that would keep him out for a game or two but a high ankle sprain that abruptly ended his standout season. "I've never been hurt before. I've never missed a game with an injury. I've never had to deal with this kind of stuff," said Hall, who recently dispensed with his crutches but remains in a walking cast. "It sucks. All I can do is work out and watch the boys play." Hall's left ankle buckled at the end of his first NHL fight — a scrap with Derek Dorsett of the Columbus Blue"