NHL trade rumors: Arizona Coyotes have serious interest in Taylor Hall
According to the latest NHL trade rumors, the Arizona Coyotes are very interested in trading for New Jersey Devils star Taylor Hall.
The Arizona Coyotes have been one of this season’s most pleasant surprises. Last season, they nearly made the playoffs thanks to an excellent defense and stellar goaltending. The Coyotes have built on that, as they remain one of the best defensive teams in the NHL. They haven’t made the postseason since 2012, but according to the latest NHL trade rumors, they appear ready to make a move for Taylor Hall.
In his latest 31 Thoughts column, Elliotte Friedman discussed Hall’s potential suitors. Earlier this week, the Devils reportedly started listening to offers for the 2017-18 Hart Trophy winner, who will be a free agent after this season.
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“Several teams believe Arizona is making a serious effort,” Friedman said, via Sportsnet. “Hall is what they need, too.”
Friedman also mentioned the Dallas Stars, Edmonton Oilers, Colorado Avalanche, and St. Louis Blues as potential suitors for the star forward. It appears the Devils are going to focus on trading Hall to a Western Conference team, as opposed to an Eastern Conference team, though things could obviously change quickly on that front.
Why Hall Is Right For The Arizona Coyotes
The Coyotes are in an interesting place. They’re clearly playoff contenders, as they’re in second place in the Pacific Division. The Coyotes are just one point out of first place, as the Oilers have 37 points to the Coyotes’ 36. However, they’re just four points ahead of the Vancouver Canucks, who have 32 points.
If the Coyotes want to ensure their spot in the playoffs, which would be huge for them, they’ve got to make a move to get more scoring. Last season, a lack of scoring cost them, as they finished 27th in goals scored. This season, the Coyotes have improved to 20th, as of Dec. 4. That’s probably not good enough to make the playoffs, and it’s not good enough to make a long run in the postseason.
Hall has proven he can carry a team offensively when healthy, as he basically carried the Devils into the Stanley Cup Playoffs in 2018, which helped him win the Hart Trophy. Hall had some injury concerns heading into this season, but he’s answered them.
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In 27 games so far this season, he has four goals and 22 points. Now, 22 points might not seem like a lot, but keep in mind those 22 points would be leading the Coyotes right now, as Nick Schmaltz is their current points leader with 20.
One area Hall could really help the Coyotes is their five-on-five scoring. Special teams are nice, but ultimately, Stanley Cup contenders tend to be teams who can produce away from the power play. Right now, the Coyotes rank 27th in the league in five-on-five goals per hour.
This season, Hall ranks 141st out of 333 forwards in five-on-five points per hour (minimum 200 minutes). That puts him as a top-six forward, albeit on the lower end. Right now, only Schmaltz (51st) and Conor Garland (133rd) rank above him on the Coyotes.
However, we’re not even talking a full season sample size. Let’s expand it a bit. Since the start of the 2018-19 season, Hall ranks 48th out of the 331 forwards with at least 800 minutes played. That puts him comfortably in the top-line territory.
Hall is also able to impact the game in other ways even when he’s not scoring. His possession numbers are constantly elite and the Coyotes could use someone who can significantly tilt the ice in their favor.
However, the major concern about Hall is his price tag. The Devils are going to ask for a lot. A 2020 first-round pick and a top prospect is like going to be the starting point. It’s fair to question if the Coyotes can match that, especially if they view 2018 first-round pick Barrett Hayton as untouchable.
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Though the Coyotes likely won’t be able to afford Hall, it’s promising they’re aggressively pursuing upgrades. And this isn’t just a one-time thing – remember, the Coyotes tried to sign Matt Duchene during the 2019 offseason. Someone like Tyler Toffoli would probably make a bit more sense for them. But if they can find a way to swing a trade for Hall, he could make them great enough to make an extended postseason run.