Oilers Insider Says Team Will Target Speedy Forward in Trade, Former First Overall Pick Is an Option

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Liam McCormick
November 26, 2024 (7:26 PM)

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The Edmonton Oilers are in the trade market for a defenceman primarily this year, but according to a new report from insider Bob Stauffer, Edmonton may be looking to add more speed to their forward group.

Matt Wozniak of Oilers Nation shared Stauffer's report of looking for speed up front, and raised former Oiler first overall draft pick Taylor Hall as someone who may be named a trade target.

Unfortunately for both Hall and the Oilers, he's been off to a brutal start this season with the Chicago Blackhawks.

Taylor Hall has only 2 goals and 6 points through 20 games this season, and has even recently been a healthy scratch for the Blackhawks.

Hall is coming off an ACL tear from last season, and the reconstructive surgery that notoriously is difficult for aging players.

Hawks coach Luke Richardson described Hall's scratch about getting him up to game speed, which is extremely concerning to hear for a 33 year old veteran.

Afterwards, Hall publicly called out his coach for the move, saying he was entirely blindsided by the decision - not a great sign for congruency between players and the coach.

»I was surprised by it. It was unexpected from the standpoint of I just didn't know I was even close to being in that spot, really. If there were some conversations in the days leading up about my game or if I was constantly being shown video it would be one thing, but I was a bit surprised.»
- Taylor Hall

Earlier in the season, Hall claimed that he wants to stay with Chicago and see through the process of their rebuild when it finally turns. However, after this ordeal with the coach, Hall could be more amenable to a move.

Oilers fans obviously know Taylor Hall from selecting him first overall back in the 2010 draft. Hall played 6 seasons with Edmonton, some of the best years of his career, before being traded to the New Jersey Devils in a one-for-one deal for Adam Larsson.

Hall comes at a relatively affordable price tag of only $6M for the remainder of this season, but that's still a risky amount of salary to take on a 33 year old coming off ACL surgery - even if he was recently an MVP.

While it'd be a cool story for the Oilers to reacquire a former top draft pick, the salary and talent level doesn't make sense for what the Oilers need at this time. That money is better spent going towards defence or goaltending.