The Boston Bruins were all-in on the 2022-23 season. The first half of their plan could not have worked out better since the Bruins set NHL regular-season records for most wins and points as they earned the Presidents Trophy.
But they were drummed out of the playoffs in the first round by the Florida Panthers, and their superior regular season dissolved into a state of shock and a locker room of star players wondering what went wrong.
Those questions are likely to continue throughout the offseason, but general manager Don Sweeney does not have the luxury of thinking about what might have been. He has to prepare the team for the upcoming 2023-24 regular season, and that means making a series of moves with the roster.
The Bruins have just over $4.9 million in salary-cap space and only 15 players under contract. The Bruins have the overages of the contracts of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci to contend with, thereby shrinking the salary-cap space even further.
They are likely going to have to move at least a couple of their key players, and Taylor Hall has been mentioned as a potential trade candidate.
The former No. 1 choice in the 2010 draft by the Edmonton Oilers has had varying degrees of success throughout his career. He has been with 5 teams (Oilers, Coyotes, Devils, Sabres and Bruins) throughout his career, and the Bruins may try to move him to free up cap space.
Bruins tenure
The 31-year-old signed a 4-year, $24 million contract with the Bruins prior to the 2021-22 season, and he scored 61 points in 81 games that season.
Hall did not have the same kind of success last season, as injuries allowed him to play just 61 games and his production fell to 36 points. He was healthy by the time the playoffs started, and he scored 8 points against the Florida Panthers in the 7-game series.
However, he was much more effective in the first 4 games of the series when Boston built a 3-1 lead than he was in the final 3 losing games of the series.
Of course, he had plenty of company in those final 3 games, as few of his teammates came close to performing at their regular-season level.
Hall remains a player with excellent speed, as he can bust into the clear in less than two strides when he senses an opening. He is capable of highlight-film goals, but he will also disappear for long stretches and that may be a reason that some potential trade partners may not be interested.
Hall also has a clause in his contract that limits the number of teams he can be traded to. As of July 1, there are 10 teams that Hall can veto, but that means there are still 21 teams the Bruins can talk to and work out a deal.
The two that make the most sense are the Chicago Blackhawks and the Carolina Hurricanes
Chicago Blackhawks
The Blackhawks were the big winners in the draft lottery this year, as they will have the No. 1 choice in this year's NHL Draft.
It's basically a sure thing that the Blackhawks will select Connor Bedard with the No. 1 pick, and he appears to be the sport's best prospect since Connor McDavid entered the league in 2015.
Prior to gaining the right to select Bedard, the Blackhawks appeared to be in a long rebuilding process. They said goodbye to superstar Patrick Kane when he was traded to the New York Rangers, and they also noted that they will not be re-signing Jonathan Toews now that he has completed his contract.
But the presence of Bedard means Chicago can accelerate their rebuild. If they were to add an explosive veteran or two, they could improve their status dramatically. They will need to surround Bedard with top-level talent, and the Blackhawks have more than $37.5 million in salary cap space.
Hall could be an excellent fit for Chicago.
Carolina Hurricanes
The Bruins would have to think very hard about engaging the Eastern Conference rival Hurricanes in a trade for an explosive player like Hall, but they might have to move him to a team with championship aspirations.
The Hurricanes were defeated in the Eastern Conference Finals by the Florida Panthers this season, and they were hurt by a lack of offense during the postseason. Head coach Rod Brind'amour saw his team struggle to score in the clutch following injuries to Max Pacioretty, Andrei Svechnikov and Stefan Noesen.
The Hurricanes have more than $24.5 million in cap space, and adding a player like Hall might help the team avoid being caught short in the goal-scoring department next season.
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