Getting to Know: Taylor Hall

BOSTON - Taylor Hall is the first to admit that his time in Buffalo did not go as planned.
The former Hart Trophy winner signed a one-year deal with the Sabres last October and was looking forward to helping build the club into a contender. That vision, however, hardly went according to plan.
The Sabres struggled mightily following a COVID-related pause early in the season and, at one point, lost 18 straight games, quickly transforming Buffalo into a seller.
As such, Hall knew he would likely be traded and set his sight on joining a team in the chase. When the Bruins expressed interest, the 29-year-old put them at the top of his list.
"Since I knew I would be traded for the last few weeks, it was a team that I really wanted to join and really wanted to be a part of," said Hall.

Hall got his wish on Monday morning. The Bruins acquired Hall and forward Curtis Lazar from the Sabres in exchange for Anders Bjork and a 2021 second-round pick.
"I don't want to set expectations too high, I want to come and win games," Hall, who will wear No. 71 for Boston, said during a virtual press conference on Monday morning. "And I feel like I can help teams do that. Unfortunately, so far in my career, that hasn't happened. A fresh start, especially after the season that I've had and everything like that, the last five or six days, being away from hockey and being able to reflect, I still believe in myself a lot as a player.
"That's what makes me most excited…I really want to be a part of a winning team. I want to add to that and however I can do that, I'm all in."
Hall revealed that he came close to signing with the Bruins last fall, saying that they were one of the finalists for his services during free agency. The appeal of playing for a Stanley Cup contender, alongside the likes of Patrice Bergeron, Brad Marchand, and David Krejci, was a major factor in waving his no-movement clause when Boston came calling this time around.
"I was ready to come to Boston. It didn't work out," Hall said of the B's interest during free agency. "And then I had to choose between some other options. I've always had a ton of respect for the Bruins organization and the city of Boston. I came to Boston with [Tyler] Seguin in 2010 just before our draft and I loved the city, I loved the fan base and the way they care about hockey.
"Every time I've come to Boston since then, I've always really enjoyed my time there. It's a city that I have a lot of respect for as a sports city, and I can't wait to get there."
Hall will be driving from Buffalo to Boston on Monday afternoon and believes that he'll be available on Tuesday night when the Bruins host the Sabres at TD Garden.
"These last few days, you do some soul searching and you look back on what you could do better and look forward to the future," said Hall, an unrestricted free agent at season's end, who added that he's open to being a "Bruin for a few years."
"And obviously, I'm so happy and excited to be a part of the Bruins. I can't wait to play and I can't wait to be part of a group like that."

Here's everything else you need to know about the B's newest winger:
Last Team:Buffalo Sabres
Position:Left wing
Height:6 feet, 1 inch
Weight:205 pounds
Shoots:Left
Birthday:Nov. 4, 1991 (29 years old)
Hometown:Calgary, Alberta
Draft:1st overall, 2010 (Edmonton)
Social:@hallsy09 (Twitter/Instagram)
Miscellaneous:The 29-year-old has played for four teams in 11 seasons, compiling 220 goals and 582 points in 664 games for Edmonton, New Jersey, Arizona, and Buffalo. Hall notched two goals and 19 points in 37 games for the Sabres this season after signing a one-year, $8 million deal with Buffalo last October.
"Unfortunately, right now, I'm not the most confident hockey player," Hall said candidly. "Throughout this year, there have been a lot of struggles and obviously, goal scoring has been the biggest one. I've got to find a little bit of that part of my game back. I don't think it's completely lost or anything like that. But I'm not expecting to come and score 93 points in Boston again.
"I want to be a part of a winning team and whatever I have to do to do that, that's what I'm here to do. I still believe in myself a lot as a hockey player. In saying that, I still believe I have a lot of athleticism and a lot of speed and I hope I can add to the team with those trades."
Hall was the Hart Trophy winner as the NHL's Most Valuable Player in 2017-18 when he posted a career high 39 goals and 93 points in 76 games for the Devils. He has reached the 20-goal mark six times in his career and has five times been named to the NHL All-Star Game.
"That was a great year. I think the stars aligned," said Hall. "I was the focal point of a power play that did really well. I played with Nico Hischier and Jesper Bratt and Kyle Palmieri, guys that just really seemed to gel together. And the stars aligned. Our team, we started off the year 11-1 or something along those lines. We were able to build confidence and kind of ride it from there."
The Calgary native was selected first overall by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2010 NHL Draft, one spot ahead of the Bruins, who took Tyler Seguin at No. 2.
Prior to being drafted by the Oilers, Hall led the OHL's Windsor Spitfires to two straight Memorial Cup titles in 2009 and 2010. He has also helped Team Canada to the gold medal at four international events, including the 2015 and 2016 World Championships, as well as a silver medal at the 2010 World Junior Championship.
Scouting Report:The 6-foot-1, 208-pound left winger brings some offensive pop and speed to Boston's top six, and while Hall has yet to be told where he'll slot into the lineup, he could make for a perfect fit alongside David Krejci on the B's second line.
"He's been a great player in our league for such a long time," said Hall. "I have a lot of respect for what he's done in his career and how he can still play at a high level. It's incredible, along with a lot of other guys on that team. Such a good puck mover, smart, can see the game and can move really well out there.
"I haven't been told who I'm playing on a line with or anything like that, but there are a lot of great players on that team and I'm just excited to contribute however I can."
Hall added that he is not looking to be the center of attention in Boston, but will instead be focused on doing whatever it takes to support the Bruins' existing core group as the playoff chase intensifies.
"That was one of the biggest reasons why I wanted to play in Boston," said Hall. "That's why I'm so happy that I'm traded here. I've been the focal point on a lot of teams in my career. I never made myself the focal point. That' s just the situations that I was in…going to Boston, there are so many great players on that team - Hall of Famers - guys that have had just amazing careers, careers that if I had anything like that at the end of my career, I'd be super happy with.
"I'm 29 years old, but I still feel that you can learn stuff about the game at this age. You can better yourself as a player and as a leader. Seeing these guys, I'm really excited to be a part of that group and to just be one of the guys.
"I don't expect to come in and light the league on fire or anything like that. I just want to come and win games. I want to be a part of a winning team that has something that I haven't had before. And that's what makes me most excited."