What is the right number on a Taylor Hall extension?

Author Ty Anderson

June 22nd, 2021 10:10 PM

Pinpointing the exact dollar value of a Taylor Hall extension is a tricky equation.

“I don’t even know what my value is at this point,” Hall admitted in his year-end Zoom conference. “I feel like I had two different seasons.”

Ain’t that the truth.

Unable to hold out for potential offers from contenders, Hall took a one-year gamble in Buffalo. The thinking was that a connection with No. 1 center and team captain Jack Eichel would form, bring his game back to life, and who knows, maybe the Sabres would emerge as a surprise and Hall would find his home. But what Hall instead experienced in Buffalo was nothing short of an absolute disaster. He scored just two goals on 88 shots (2.3 shooting percentage) and totaled 19 points in 37 games before he by all means forced his way to Boston with his full no-move clause.

That move was a season-changer for the 29-year-old, too, as he scored eight goals and 14 points in 16 games with the Bruins, and emerged as an ideal fit with David Krejci on Boston’s second line, effectively ending what was a six-year quest to find him a new go-to linemate. In fact, Hall averaged 3.29 points per 60 during his time with the Bruins, sandwiched between Brad Marchand’s team-leading 4.13 points per 60 and David Pastrnak’s 3.22 points per 60. Pretty good company, you’d say.

So, what exactly does that mean for the pending unrestricted free agent?

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  "I'm not looking to absolutely maximize my value at this point in my career," Hall said. "I've been fortunate enough to make some good money in this league, and at this point, it's about more of a fit for me than maybe money, or a long-term thing. You want to find a home for the next few years here and we'll see what happens."
  
  Honestly, that alone should be music to the B's ears. This is Hall essentially outright admitting that he's not looking to break the bank, become the team's highest-paid forward, or set the standard on his next deal. He's been there and done that (with limited success). And both he and his potential suitors are aware of that.
  
  Approaching 30 years old and after a career that included four stops before landing in Boston, Hall is instead focused on the fit and winning. The Bruins, as mentioned when this conversation first came up, are an excellent fit for Hall and have a chance to win so long as he's on their second line as the team's third-best winger.
  
  Operating with the assumption that fit is more important than money and that the Bruins' preference is still to stay within their own budget of sorts (Patrice Bergeron at just under $7 million per year seems to be their preference in terms of limiting a yearly cap-hit), a reasonable Hall extension is probably between $5.5 and $6.5 million per year. I think it would be closer to the latter, but Hall's own words may drop that price if he's indeed speaking the truth about his situation.

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  So if there's a deal to be made here (and there should be), where do they land?
  
  On the lower end of the scale mentioned earlier, the Islanders’ Jordan Eberle signed a five-year, $27.5 million ($5.5 million cap hit) in 2019 following a two-season run featuring 44 goals and 96 points in his first 159 games with New York. Eberle signed that deal at 29, too, so it’s a solid comp.
  
  A million dollars up the scale, both Brendan Gallagher and Chris Kreider signed extensions worth $6.5 million per year at 29, and within the last calendar year. Gallagher’s deal with Montreal was for six years, while Kreider’s was for seven. The Bruins (and Hall) are likely looking at a shorter length than that, to be honest.
  
  On the higher end, you have $7 million cap hits for the Golden Knights’ Max Pacioretty, New York’s Anders Lee, and Philly’s James van Riemsdyk.
  
  Of that group, Pacioretty seems like the closest comp to Hall, as Pacioretty signed that four-year deal with the Knights following his trade from Montreal to Las Vegas. Pacioretty, by the way, was 30 years old when he signed. Pacioretty's delivered for the Knights, too, with the seventh-most goals (78) and 12th-most points (157) among all NHL left wings since the start of the 2018 season. And his production is similar to the pace that Hall converted at during his B's run.

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  What's difficult to project here, however, is what concessions (if any) are made when weighing the length of the contract. Will the Bruins save money (a la the Eberle deal) if they go with a longer term on a Hall extension? Or is it pricier if it’s say a three-year deal that throws Hall back on the free agent market at 32 years old? The sweet spot for the Bruins is obviously as cheap as Hall is willing to go, but even then, getting him at anything less than $5.5 million feels like wishful thinking.
  
  That said, does any of it matter? Who knows.
  
  We're not going to know until July, and not until Seattle swipes one of Bruins general manager Don Sweeney's talents out of The Hub if Sweeney has it his way. (The simple philosophy is that signing pending free agents to new deals after Seattle makes their pick allows the Bruins to truly maximize their protection list.)

  
  
  Here's what we do know: The Bruins are interested in keeping Hall around. After offering countless "we'll have to see how he fits in" when asked about Hall, Sweeney finally confirmed the interest as mutual during his final press conference of the season. And Hall, like Krejci and Tuukka Rask, wants to be here and has all emphasized that money isn't the No. 1 thing. That'll save 'em some cash. We also know that the Bruins are entering this offseason hoping to find an 'elusive' left-shot defenseman who can eat up about 20 minutes of top-four play per night. That'll cost 'em some cash. There's also Patrice Bergeron, Charlie McAvoy, and even David Pastrnak extensions looming over this club in the not-too-distant future.
  
  That's an awful lot to factor in when also trying to best determine Hall's actual value on a new deal. 
  
  But at least they're in that quest together.
• Washington Capitals v Boston Bruins – Game Foour

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  BOSTON, MA - MAY 21: Ilya Samsonov #30 of the Washington Capitals stops a shot on goal by Taylor Hall #71 of the Boston Bruins in the first period of Game Four of the First Round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden on May 21, 2021 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Adam Glanzman/Getty Images)

• NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs-Washington Capitals at Boston Bruins

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  May 19, 2021; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins left wing Taylor Hall (71) scores on Washington Capitals goaltender Ilya Samsonov (30) during the second period in game three of the first round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

• NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs-Boston Bruins at Washington Capitals

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  May 17, 2021; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Boston Bruins left wing Taylor Hall (71) is congratulated by teammates after scoring a goal against the Washington Capitals during the third period in game two of the first round of the 2021 Stanley Cup Playoffs at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
• New York Islanders v Boston Bruins

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  BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - APRIL 15: Taylor Hall #71 of the Boston Bruins skates against the New York Islanders during the third period at TD Garden on April 15, 2021 in Boston, Massachusetts. The Bruins defeat the Islanders 4-1. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

• NHL: New York Islanders at Boston Bruins

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  May 10, 2021; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Bruins left wing Taylor Hall (71) reacts after scoring the winning goal in overtime against the New York Islanders at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports

• NHL: New York Rangers at Boston Bruins

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  May 8, 2021; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; New York Rangers right wing Vitali Kravtsov (74) knocks the puck off the stick of Boston Bruins left wing Taylor Hall (71) during the first period at TD Garden. Mandatory Credit: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports

Ty Anderson is a writer and columnist for 985TheSportsHub.com. Any opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of 98.5 The Sports Hub, Beasley Media Group, or any subsidiaries. Yell at him on Twitter: @_TyAnderson.

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Author Ty Anderson

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2021 bruins offseason,boston bruins,Taylor Hall