Taylor Hall acknowledged Wednesday he expects to be traded from the Chicago Blackhawks before the March 7 deadline, despite his desire to remain with the team.
“Yeah, I’d like to stay here,” Hall said. “I like the city, I like the group. I have a feeling that’s not really in the cards. So, we’ll see.”
The 32-year-old forward has recorded eight goals and 22 points in 43 games this season while playing on an expiring contract with a $6-million cap hit.
Hall currently plays on Chicago’s fourth line alongside Ryan Donato and Pat Maroon, averaging a career-low 15:08 of ice time per game.
“I came into this year wanting to continue being a Blackhawk for years to come,” Hall said. “I don’t know if that’s gonna be the case anymore, but I’ll leave that door open for sure. (I) understand that it’s a business, and the team’s gonna do what’s best for them.”
The Blackhawks acquired Hall from the Boston Bruins in 2023. He appeared in just 10 games last season due to a torn ACL.
A trade could benefit Hall by sending him to a playoff contender, as Chicago sits last in the NHL with a 14-28-2 record.
“There’s always a bright spot, and there’s always a positive that you can kinda take going forward,” Hall said. “I mean, everyone in a contract year knows that there’s a lot of different ways things can go. I’m ready for anything. I have a great wife who is always ready for a good adventure. If that’s here, if that’s somewhere else, we’ll figure it out.”
