Hall would benefit from signing contract to stay with Bruins, coach says

Taylor Hall learned a lot during his time with the Boston Bruins, and coach Bruce Cassidy said he hopes to see what the forward could do in a full season with them.

"I think the benefit of being here for the full season would be just to watch how hard a guy like Brad Marchand practices and plays every day of the season," Cassidy said Monday. "Brad will take his occasional maintenance day, but other than that, when he's on the ice, it's 100 percent. Competing against whoever in practice, second effort in the games.
"I think that can only help a player like Taylor that is a little further ahead and has been through some of that and has had some seasons like 'Marchy' where he's an elite player. And if he's going to get back to that level, I think watching Marchy every day will be a huge benefit for him."
Hall, who can become an unrestricted free agent July 28, said Friday of possibly staying with the Bruins, "I see a fit and hopefully they feel the same."
Cassidy agreed but also acknowledged that Hall, the 2017-18 Hart Trophy winner voted as the NHL most valuable player, can get better.
Hall was traded to the Bruins with forward Curtis Lazar from the Buffalo Sabres on April 12 for forward Anders Bjork and a second-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft.
Cassidy saw Hall's game pick up once he arrived in Boston, turning around what had been an underwhelming season with the Sabres (two goals in 37 games), especially when he was paired with center David Krejci, who also is a pending unrestricted free agent. Krejci scored 21 points (six goals, 15 assists) in 16 games after Hall was acquired.
"He really balanced out our attack in terms of a line of 1A and 1B and I think that made it real difficult on opponents," Cassidy said. "I think he really reenergized Krejci in his play."

Hall scored 19 points with Buffalo and 14 points (eight goals, six assists) in 16 regular-season games with Boston. He scored five points (three goals, two assists) in 11 Stanley Cup Playoff games and for the first time made the second round of the NHL postseason before the Bruins lost the best-of-7 series to the New York Islanders in six games.
"Obviously finishing up against the Islanders, [Hall's] line didn't have the numbers they had against [the] Washington [Capitals] (in the first round)," Cassidy said. "Some of that is a learning curve for the player, the deepest he's been in the playoffs, usually the harder it gets as you go along. Those are some things you just have to learn on your own, I think, as a player."
Hall scored three points (one goal, two assists) in five games against the Capitals. The 29-year-old scored two points (one goal, one assist) in six games against the Islanders, the goal coming with an empty net. Hall did not score a point in the final three games, all losses.
"I think the next playoffs he's in he'll be better prepared for it," Cassidy said. "I hope it's with the Boston Bruins. He did a good job with us. He's a good player, he's a good person. He works hard. I think he knows what he wants out of his career now. He's been in a few different places. He's made some money. And hopefully both sides can make it work."
Selected by the Edmonton Oilers with the No. 1 pick in the 2010 NHL Draft, Hall has scored 596 points (228 goals, 368 assists) in 680 regular-season games with the Oilers, New Jersey Devils, Arizona Coyotes, Sabres and Bruins. He has scored 17 points (seven goals, 10 assists) in 11 playoff games.