On June 29, 2016, New Jersey Devils then-general manager Ray Shero made one of the big trades during that summer by acquiring former No. 1 overall pick Taylor Hall from the Edmonton Oilers for defenseman Adam Larsson. As TSN’s Bob McKenzie famously put it, “The trade is one for one.” In that moment, the Devils had brought in an incredibly talented offensive player in exchange for just one piece. While his first year was solid, finishing with 20 goals and 33 assists for 53 points, New Jersey once again missed the postseason for the fifth straight season. Then, in 2017-18, not only would the Devils finally get back to the playoffs, but Hall would put together one of the greatest performances in franchise history.
Hall’s Play Elevated Others
Right from the start, it was clear that the then 26-year-old had a different level of play that had not been seen before up to that point in his career. He seemed to not only put up points consistently, but he always seemed to come through when the Devils needed him the most. That season, he had seven game-winning goals, which was tops for New Jersey that season. This also included a team-leading three overtime goals. He could raise the level of his teammates, especially with that year’s No. 1 overall pick, Nico Hischier.
Hall helped the rookie blossom in his first year, and Hischier became Hall’s go-to guy in any offensive situation. This worked out incredibly well, and the Swiss centerman finished third on the team in goals (20), third in assists (32), and second in points (52). Hischier learned a lot from Hall, and it’s still impacting the now-captain of the Devils to this very day.
Hall Was the Unstoppable Force of New Jersey
When you look at who leads New Jersey in those three categories, there is an insane gap between first and second. Hall finished that season with an impressive 39 goals and 54 assists for 93 total points. It’s also worth mentioning that all three of those stats were career highs for Hall. He missed a few games due to injury and still finished with 41 more points than Hischier (From ‘Devils’ Taylor Hall wins NHL’s Hart Trophy as league MVP”, USA Today, June 20, 2018). However, his stretch from January to the end of February was the stuff that superstars are made of.
In that period, Hall was the most dominant player in the entire NHL. He recorded at least one point in 26 consecutive games in which he played. Unfortunately, in the official rule books, the streak dropped down to only 19 games because Hall missed time with an injury and wasn’t counted as an official streak. Even so, that is still the longest streak of consecutive games with a point in franchise history. During that run, he finished with an astounding 38 points. As former Devils’ broadcaster Steve Cangialosi put it best after a penalty shot goal vs. the Rangers, he was “the unstoppable force that wears No. 9.”
His play, in many ways, single-handly guided the Garden State franchise back to the playoffs for the first time since losing in Game 6 of the 2012 Stanley Cup Final. It was a major moment for the Devils to finally have meaningful hockey again in April, and Hall was the main reason for it. Although the team would lose in five games in the first round to the Tampa Bay Lightning, Hall gave the fans one last major moment in which he tallied three points, including the goal above, in the Devils’ 5-2 win in Game 3 in New Jersey. He also left the fans with an iconic celebration for that goal.
Hall’s Performance Was Hart Trophy Worthy
Hall’s season was so tremendous that it earned him a chance to win the Hart Trophy as the league’s most valuable player. He went up against other very deserving players, Anze Kopitar and Nathan MacKinnon. It was not a guarantee that Hall would be the one to receive such an honor. But, on June 20, 2018, the left winger was named the 2018 Hart Trophy winner. He became the first player in franchise history to achieve this accomplishment, and it was a culmination of how truly incredible that season was for Hall and the Devils.
While things ultimately did not work out in the long run for both Hall and the New Jersey franchise, there is no question just how incredible that 2017-18 campaign was. It not only excited but created a whole new generation of Devils fans. It gave them something to remember for always, as well as prepare them for what future superstars for this team would come to do in seasons to come. Hall’s 2018 Hart Trophy season was truly one for the ages.
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