The Oilers selected Hall with the No. 1 pick in the 2010 NHL Draft. He scored 132 goals and 328 points in 381 games in six seasons before Edmonton traded him to New Jersey for defenseman Adam Larsson on June 29.
"It's going to be weird, but to be honest, it was really nice to have a game [Friday] against a different team," Hall said. "I guess now I start thinking about it. I'm just trying to stay focused on helping my team and trying to get two points for us. It's definitely going to be weird and I'm not going to downplay that. It's going to be a super strange atmosphere for me, but the quicker I put that aside and just focus on playing hockey and focus on my contribution to the team, I think that's the best way to go."
Hall said in November that his motivation after the trade was to prove the Oilers wrong for getting rid of him. He's hit or miss on if he has done that through almost half of his first season in New Jersey.
He has nine goals and 16 assists (25 points) in 30 games, and the Devils are 16-17-7, six points out of a Stanley Cup Playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Oilers, who haven't made the playoffs since 2006, are 20-13-7, third in the Pacific Division.
"I wanted to prove them wrong in more of a team sense than anything, more of, 'How much can I do to help my team?'" Hall said. "I'm obviously disappointed in that factor. We're one game below .500. We're not in a playoff spot and Edmonton is. I don't think that falls all on my shoulders, but certainly I think I have another level to get to and I think I will."