Taylor Hall has made a decision.
Hall will wear No. 9 when he takes to the ice for the first time as a member of the New Jersey Devils.
“Obviously, the number four was retired here,” Hall said in an exclusive interview on the Devils’ official site. “But, even if it wasn’t retired, I’m not sure that I would have kept the number four. In choosing number nine, I’m looking for a fresh start.”
The Devils acquired Hall from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for defenceman Adam Larsson in a June 29 trade that sent shockwaves across the hockey world.
Hall sported the No. 4 on the back of his sweater through minor hockey and in junior with the Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League. He ruffled the feathers of some Oilers fans when he chose to wear the No. 4, which had been out of circulation, although not retired, since Kevin Lowe last wore it in 1998. Lowe was the Oilers’ first ever NHL draft pick and a member of all five of the franchise’s Stanley Cup championship teams.
The Devils raised Scott Stevens’ No. 4 sweater to the rafters in 2006. Zach Parise wore the No. 9 for the Devils for seven seasons before he departed via free agency to the Minnesota Wild in 2012. Eight different players have worn the No. 9 sweater since then.
“There have been a lot of great players that have worn the number nine and I want to add to that list,” Hall said. “I think in sports you can get too caught up in trying to prove people wrong or that you deserve something and it ends up taking away from the player that you are. I’m not going to change anything in that way, but I am looking forward to a fresh start and an exciting opportunity in New Jersey.”
The list of former players who have worn the No. 9 for the Devils includes Neal Broten, Bernie Nicholls, and Kirk Muller.
The Oilers selected Hall first overall in the 2010 NHL Draft. The 24-year-old has totalled 132 goals and 328 points in 381 career games.
