Last week, the Chicago Blackhawks made a major trade, sending Mikko Rantanen to the Carolina Hurricanes and Martin Necas to the Colorado Avalanche. In return, the Blackhawks received a third-round pick for taking on half of Rantanen’s salary, while also sending Taylor Hall to Carolina.
This trade came shortly after Taylor Hall had expressed his desire to sign an extension and remain with the Blackhawks just a couple of weeks ago. However, according to Elliotte Friedman on the “32 Thoughts” podcast, Hall actually turned down a contract extension offer from Chicago. Friedman noted that Hall’s decision was likely driven by a desire to play for a Cup-contending team, which makes sense given his veteran status and age.
It’s a bit strange, though, as Hall had previously stated he wanted to stay in Chicago, but reports now suggest that the Blackhawks made an offer, which Hall wasn’t interested in.
Hall picked up his first point with the Hurricanes—a helper on Andrei Svechnikov’s goal—during their 4-0 win over the New York Rangers on Tuesday. Hall then spoke to the media before Thursday’s game against his old team, expressing frustration over his reduced ice time, stating that the younger players had taken over his spot.
The Hurricanes went on to beat the Blackhawks 3-2, which must have been satisfying for Hall, especially if his reasoning for leaving Chicago was to pursue a bigger role on a playoff-contending team.
Regardless, Taylor Hall is now officially a member of the Hurricanes, and the drama surrounding his departure from Chicago seems to be settled.