A storyline to watch this playoffs will be if the well traveled Mikko Rantanen, now of the Dallas Stars, potentially plays against his original club the Colorado Avalanche. There’s even a possibility Rantanen and the Stars play against his former, albeit temporary, home of the Carolina Hurricanes. Considering Rantanen had less than amicable divorces with both we're sure it’ll add additional drama.
Speaking of players moved to Carolina is former Hart Trophy winner Taylor Hall. The Metropolitan Division top three seems pretty much all set. Almost certain to happen is a first-round matchup between the second place Hurricanes and third-place New Jersey Devils.
Hall would be facing off against the team he won the 2018 Hart Trophy award for as the Devils broke a six-season playoff drought. New Jersey and Carolina have built a playoff rivalry in recent history. In 2022-2023 the Hurricanes beat the Devils in five games in that year’s second round.
Since moving to Carolina the two teams have matched up five times in the Stanley Cup playoffs. New Jersey was only victorious once, in the 2001 first round. The Hurricanes beat the Devils in the conference semi finals en route to the 2006 Stanley Cup. A memorable, or heart-breaking, if you’re a Devils fan, first round series went to seven games in 2009.
Since the 2004-2005 lockout only one playoff series has been a Hart Trophy winner (won post 2004-2005 lockout) going against his former team, speaking to the longevity Hart Trophy winners seems to stay with their franchise. That one instance was last season when Corey Perry’s Edmonton Oilers faced off against the Dallas Stars in the Western Conference final. Perry has lived a somewhat nomadic existence since leaving the Anaheim Ducks, with whom he won the 2010-2011 Hart Trophy with.
The last time a former Hart Trophy winner faced off against the team with which he won said trophy was Marty St. Louis in the 2015 playoffs.
St. Louis won the 2003-2004 Hart Trophy, just before our lockout cutoff, with the Tampa Bay Lightning
He would be traded to the New York Rangers at the 2014 trade deadline and face off against his former team in the 2015 Eastern Conference Finals where the Lightning were victorious for their first cup final appearance in the Jon Cooper era.
Hall has had limited success against his former team since being traded from the Devils to the Arizona Coyotes in 2019. The 2020-21 season, which saw his teams only face off against Eastern conference teams, guaranteed more meetings with the Devils and Hall scored one goal and five assists in eight games against the Devils between the Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins.
Since that season Hall has scored two goals and one assist against New Jersey in stops including Boston and the Chicago Blackhawks. He has yet to play the Devils as a member of the Hurricanes since the Hurricanes ended their season series against New Jersey prior to the trade in which he was acquired.
The Devils are a different team since that 2018 playoff appearance. Both head coach John Hynes and general manager Ray Shero are no longer with the team. Now captain Nico Hischier, Jesper Bratt and a returning Stephan Noeson are still on the roster. Hall would play with Jack Hughes at the beginning of the 2019-2020 season before his trade to Arizona.
It could be argued the Devils only made the playoffs in the 2017-2018 season because of Hall’s Hart Trophy effort. Hall would have a career high that season with 39 goals and 54 assists for 93 points. After that the Devils wouldn’t return to the playoffs until the 2022-2023 season.
It would be an interesting meeting for Hall, considering he’s jokingly earned the distinction of being a “lottery specialist” for his lack of playoff appearances early in his career. Since being traded to Carolina Hall has eight goals and seven assists in 25 games.