The Arizona Coyotes have acquired Taylor Hall, the 2017 Hart Trophy winner from the New Jersey Devils in exchange for a conditional 2020 first round pick, a conditional third round and prospects Nate Schnarr(forward), Nick Merkley(forward) and defenseman Kevin Bahl. The Devils will also retain 50 percent of Hall’s salary for the rest of the season which allows the Coyotes to sneak in under the salary cap. The Coyotes also acquired forward Blake Speers in the deal.
Hall will be a free agent after this season and in 30 games with New Jersey in 2019 has six goals and 25 points. Hall had reportedly wanted out of New Jersey for a few months and things came to a head on Friday and Saturday night when Hall was held out and scratched from back to back games against Colorado and Arizona.
Hall is a left wing so it’s unclear where he will slot into the Coyotes lineup at this moment with one possibility being alongside Derek Stephan and Clayton Keller.
In the press release announcing the trade General Manager John Chayka said the following,
“Taylor Hall is one of the elite talents in the game today; a Hart Trophy winner, a high-end playmaker and one of the NHL's most talented forwards," said Chayka. "We are beyond thrilled to add Taylor to our team as we continue in our mission of bringing a Stanley Cup home to Arizona."
The Coyotes will play next in San Jose on Tuesday.