NHL trade rumors: 3 teams who should trade for Taylor Hall

According to the latest NHL trade rumors, the New Jersey Devils have officially put soon-to-be free agent Taylor Hall on the trading block. Which teams would make the most sense for him?

Two years ago, the free agency saga between John Tavares and the New York Islanders ruled the rumor mill. The New Jersey Devils find themselves in a similar situation with star forward Taylor Hall, who will become a free agent in July of 2020. According to the latest NHL trade rumors, the team has officially started taking offers for him.

This report comes from Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic. Bob McKenzie from TSN later confirmed the report. It’s likely Hall will be traded close to the trade deadline, which falls on Feb. 24, but the Devils are starting to gauge the market on him.

Hall is by a wide margin the best rental player available. No other rental can bring to the table what the 2017-18 Hart Trophy winner can. Hall is a rarity, as he’s a wing who can impact the game in various ways.

Not only is he an excellent scorer, but he’s also an underrated two-way player, as noted by Micah Blake McCurdy, creator of the website Hockey Viz.

What Will It Cost To Trade For Him?

A first-round pick will be the starting point. Yes, the 2020 NHL Draft is projected to be one of the deepest ones in recent memory. However, the bare minimum price tag has been set. If you want the best rental forward available, don’t bother calling unless your offer includes a first-round pick in 2020.

That said, many teams are pretty close to the cap ceiling. Most of those teams are Stanley Cup contenders. Obviously, contenders are going to be the teams who want Hall. So it should be interesting to see how that affects negotiations. Will the Devils have to take on a roster player? What kind of roster player would they target if they must do it?

Hall is the kind of player who could help a team win a Stanley Cup. Here are three teams who should be the most interested in him.