BY RENATA GABRIELLA KUZMA – FAN FUEL BLOGGER
Earlier this week, the Edmonton Oilers announced the signing of Taylor Hall’s seven-year, $42 million contract extension. After only two years in the NHL, it is not surprising that the franchise was more than willing to lock in the 20-year-old, Calgary, Alberta native; a major component of their rebuild.
No one will forget the epic Oiler dynasty of the late eighties, one of the most special pieces of NHL history. But of course, such a reign could not last forever, and Edmonton went through a number of unsuccessful years. The reconstructive phase began, and now the future of the Oiler franchise looks more promising than ever.
In a series of very fortunate events, the Oilers welcomed three consecutive number one draft picks to their roster. This added youth, vigilance, power, and a relentless drive to succeed by the youngsters, who were each more willing than the last to sacrifice anything just for the opportunity to play in the big leagues.
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One of the key ingredients of “the kid line,” as it has become known, is none other than Taylor Hall. In the 2010 draft, all eyes were on the “Taylor versus Tyler” question mark. Taylor Hall and Tyler Seguin were both front-runners for that number one draft spot. Despite both being tremendous hockey players, each had very different characteristics and qualities of their game. Who would be the lucky one chosen first?
It was indeed Hall selected first by the Oilers, and Seguin was chosen second by the Boston Bruins. Though Seguin already has a Stanley Cup ring to his name with the Bruins’ 2011 victory, Hall’s future looks bright. Hall’s first professional contract was the largest rookie contract ever offered by the Oiler franchise. The contract extension solidifies the left-winger as the highest paid player on the team.
This past season, Hall went through a few tribulations. In January he took a blade to the face during a fall in warmup and required 30 stitches. Later, his season ended early after requiring surgery to mend his shoulder, which forced him to miss a significant number of games. Hall finished the season with 27 goals and 26 assists in 61 games.
In 2011 and 2012 respectively, top draft picks Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Nail Yakupov joined “the number one” line. Discussions are also now underway to lock in right-winger Jordan Eberle with a comparable contract. Eberle finished ahead of Hall last season with 34 goals and 42 assists in 78 games.
Hall is undoubtedly looking forward to the next seven years of the franchise becoming a powerful force in the league, and himself playing a major role in this undertaking.
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