Taylor Hall Traded to New Jersey

In exchange for Hall, the Devils sent defenseman Adam Larsson to the Oilers.

Larsson, 23, has struggled over his first four National Hockey League seasons, though he started to become more consistent last season. All they needed to do was get some defensemen.

This in from Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, a thorough explanation of why former Habs defenceman P.K. Subban is not an Edmonton Oilers player today, even as the Oilers were willing to pay a high price for a right shot d-man.

The trade caught almost the entire hockey world by surprise – except for Chiarelli, who has now shockingly traded both the first and second overall picks in the 2010 NHL entry draft (Tyler Seguin for Loui Eriksson in 2013). This is a good move by Columbus because he will develop to be one of the best defenseman in the National Hockey League one day. While Subban’s trade to Nashville makes the fine hurt more, the team still landed a potential No. 1 defenceman in Olli Juolevi (fifth overall), who some believe can jump straight to the National Hockey League and onto a pairing with recently acquired Erik Gudbranson.

Oilers GM Peter Chiarelli seems pretty sold on Larsson’s ability to blossom into a No. 1 defenseman, which he better hope happens, otherwise New Jersey just got away with robbery here.

“I don’t want to sound like I am not excited to join New Jersey”, Hall said.

Though general reaction has mostly condemned the move for Edmonton, Conte thinks the Oilers did well to solve a need.

Maybe Steven Santini, the 21-year-old, 2013 second-round draft choice who was called up to play in the Devils’ finale last season, will eventually be groomed for the shutdown role.

The native of Calgary, AB, was the first overall selection in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. “He moves the puck, he defends well, he can log a lot of minutes”.

I did not see this coming. Yannick Webber might fit.or someone like Colin Miller (who’ve I’ve mentioned many times) might be a trade target possibility. Hall had 65 points a year ago, and has 328 career points in 381 games.

The Devils used Larsson on their top pair, matching him against top lines with a heavy number of starts in the defensive zone.

His offensive production aside, concerns of Adam Larsson are compounded by possession numbers that bode ill for his future endeavors.

“I think he’s only scratched the surface”, Chiarelli said. Defense has been an area of concern in recent seasons.