Islanders to Be Highest Bidder for Taylor Hall in Free Agency?

Should Taylor Hall make it to free agency on July 1, there are bound to be a number teams under consideration, including the Arizona Coyotes who picked him up in a trade last week. As the season moves along and indications become clearer Hall may or may not stay with the Coyotes, is there another franchise to watch for as the most likely suitor for Hall’s services?

Kevin Paul Dupont of the Boston Globe writes that no one should be surprised if the New York Islanders are the highest bidders. With money to burn and a splash to be made, Hall will likely hit a home run financially and someone will pay handsomely for his services. The Islanders might be that team.

Dupont wrote:

Meanwhile, it’s possible Hall falls in love with the desert and signs an eight-year uber free agent deal there on or before July 1. More likely he hits the open market, where one of the more aggressive suitors should be the Islanders.  

source – ‘What would Bruce Cassidy tell his former 37-year-old self about coaching?’ – Kevin Paul Dupont – Boston Globe – 12/21/2019 

The Islanders have lots of in-house work to do, including getting Mathew Barzal signed, but general manager Lou Lamoriello will still have plenty of cap space to bring in Hall. The question just becomes, ‘How much does money play a factor in Hall’s decision?’

Hall Wants to Win

There has been a lot of talk regarding Taylor Hall wanting to play in a hockey market and have a chance to win. That may mean the Islanders are a bit more unlikely a destination. A good young team growing into contender status, there isn’t a huge appetite for hockey in that market.

Speculation is that a team like Montreal, Edmonton or Calgary would fit the bell a bit better. Then again, none of those teams are considered Stanley Cup contenders at the moment. Would adding Hall put them in that category?

Next: Montreal Canadiens News & Rumors: Mete, Petry, Price, Armia, Suzuki, Gallagher & Lehkonen