Hurricanes forward Taylor Hall getting more comfortable, finding his game in Carolina
When the Carolina Hurricanes traded for Mikko Rantanen, that seemed to be the only news that mattered in most NHL circles.
Of lesser note was the Canes obtaining Taylor Hall as part of the same deal.
And of even lesser note, the Canes later trading for forward Mark Jankowski in the final minutes before the NHL deadline on the same day they offloaded Rantanen.
But here we are almost two months later. Rantanen is with the Dallas Stars, the Finnish forward hopefully happy at last. Hall and Jankowski, meanwhile, have proven to be valuable additions for the Hurricanes and should be again when the Stanley Cup playoffs begin next month.
Looking back, it was a crazy six or so weeks: Rantanen traded to the Canes by the Colorado Avalanche while the Chicago Blackhawks made it a three-team deal by sending Hall to the Canes and retaining half of Rantanen’s salary. And then Rantanen all but sulking his way into being traded again, refusing to consider a long-term contract extension with Carolina before grabbing Dallas’ eight-year offer and going off to Texas.
All Hall could do was sit back and watch. And play. And play well, becoming more comfortable with his new team and in how he can best help it.
“I think it’s getting better,” Hall said after a practice this week. “Truthfully, I’m not all the way there, of where I can be on this team, but I’m getting better and it’s been a good string of games for us as a team. For that to happen, guys have to be playing well and I feel like my game has rounded into form pretty well. It’s just getting comfortable with my role.”
Hall, playing on Jesperi Kotkeniemi’s line with Jack Roslovic, had a goal and assist Saturday in the 5-0 road win against the Philadelphia Flyers, and scored the night before as the Canes topped the Detroit Red Wings at Lenovo Center in Raleigh.
And Jankowski? Playing on the fourth line, he has scored goals on each of his first four shots since coming to the Canes from the Nashville Predators. That’s quite a foursome.
The Canes (41-22-4), who have won their past seven games in that good string, begin a three-game road trip Thursday against the San Jose Sharks and forward Maclin Celebrini, the No. 1 pick of the 2024 NHL draft from whom much is expected.
Hall understands. He was the No. 1 selection in the 2010 NHL draft, a dynamic player and two-time Memorial Cup winner in Canadian junior hockey who was looked on to help resuscitate the Edmonton Oilers.
“But everybody has a different trajectory,” Hall said of NHL careers, whether the No. 1 pick or a seventh-rounder.
Hall, a good but not great player in six seasons with the Oilers, would later be traded to the New Jersey Devils, winning the Hart Trophy as the league’s most valuable player in 2017-18 after posting career highs in goals (39) and points (93). He made his fifth NHL All-Star Game appearance that season and got his first taste of the playoffs, the Devils losing a first-round series to Tampa Bay.
Now 33, Hall is with his fifth team since being with the Devils. His career has been marred by various injuries, and ACL surgery kept him out all but 10 games with the Blackhawks in 2023-24.
In Chicago, Hall was teammates with another No. 1 pick, Connor Bedard, and filled something of a mentor’s role to the young forward before the Jan. 24 trade to Carolina.
“I have a lot of faith in him and think he’s only going to continue to improve and get better and better,” Hall said.
Canes coach Rod Brind’Amour said this week that there was uncertainty at first of where Hall might best fit. Hall, he said, still is finding his way a little after 17 games with the Hurricanes.
“Now, he’s kind of rediscovering his game a little bit,” Brind’Amour said. “I think he’s even taken on a little different responsibility, like he understands he’s a little bit different now.
“I think he’s trying to reestablish what he is, and I think he’s been really, really impactful. Maybe not yet on the scoresheet and not with a ton of points, but every night he’s around it and creating offense.
“I think it’s still a little bit unseen what it’s going to be, but I think it’s looking real positive.”
Hall, who gives interview questions thoughtful answers, defined his role as a middle-six forward who can help on the power play.
“Ultimately, I think, it’s to drive play,” he said. “I enjoy forechecking, I enjoy turning pucks over and using my speed defensively, and I think our whole system is predicated on that. It’s been a good fit for me personally.”
Hall said one thing he has noticed about the Canes since coming to Raleigh are the good times and good vibes among the players. The locker room often is filled with the players’ kids after home games, giving off a family feel.
“As much as we work hard, and you see the way we play and how it’s very diligent and structured, there’s also a lot of laughs and a lot of really funny dudes on this team,” Hall said. “In saying that, I shouldn’t be surprised because all good teams, all teams that have had success year after year, usually have a lot of fun together. But it’s been really cool to see just the culture and the dynamic that these guys have. It’s fun.”
