Edmonton Oilers: A Look at Taylor Hall, Criticism and the Trade

The Edmonton Oilers turned heads and spoke volumes around the National Hockey League on June 29, when they traded away star left winger and former first-overall pick Taylor Hall in exchange for Adam Larsson. Some pointed out that General Manager Peter Chiarelli has also traded Tyler Seguin, and that this would be a mistake that would doom the Oilers.

The “Edmonton Journal” had an impressive article Wednesday, explaining why the Oilers failed Hall more than Hall failed the Oilers, and I have to agree. Unfortunately, the Oilers’ organization could not help Hall, who was automatically deemed the savior of the Oilers upon his name being called at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

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From there on, the Oilers had a problem, where they put too much pressure on the shoulders of a young Hall, who was still trying to transition into the league. Management not only piled on the pressure, but the expectations and the minutes.

However, the issues became more tense when Hall was rumored to have behavioral issues. His heart-on-his-sleeve attitude during games was surely no help, and when fans and the media started to call Hall out on the way he was supposedly acting, things got… odd to say the least.

However, this Hall trade was not an example of a poor management decision. It was also not a trade that was meant to put his “attitude issues” on display. The trade was an example of the Oilers’ changing culture.

This team is one that is looking to rebuild, change its image and strengthen on defense. Chiarelli made a decision, one where he would get a top-shutdown defenseman in Adam Larsson, and unfortunately, it cost Hall. Gregor touched on this in his column.

"“Hall doesn’t sound nearly as bad as some portrayed him. Players get traded all the time even star players, and Chiarelli felt it was a move to improve his team.That is fine, but it is embarrassing how some in the organization and some fans felt the need to drag his name through the mud to make themselves feel better for their own inadequacies.” – Jason Gregor"

And he’s right. Many were quick to crucify Hall, claiming that the decision to trade him was because of his poor attitude. There was some support on that side, too, as you could see Hall’s frustration boil over during his exit interview. In fact, let’s take a quick look at that exit interview.

There are many different ways that fans and media alike can view this. You can focus on his quotes and what he is saying, or you can focus on his body language, the movements he makes, his breathing, the raising of his eyebrows, a possible smile or a glance out of the corner. As you can see, it sounds a bit ridiculous to take away all of those traits and interpret each one of them in order to get a message across, but from his words, you can gather two things.

1. Hall is clearly frustrated with losing, and may not be the most optimistic when it comes to it.
2. Hall is unsure what the future holds, but clearly wants the team to be able to rebuild itself.

It is understandable to be frustrated with losing. When it happens for so long,e specially when you’re with a team for six years, it can be incredibly demotivating and can give you as a lack of confidence and optimism going forward. However, in Hall’s case, one quote resonates with me: “It’s tough to see the light at the end of the tunnel.”

Sometimes, players get to that point, and when they do, it’s painful to see. It means that they have gotten to the point where they are so accustomed to poor performance, adversity and losing that they grow numb to it, and it’s difficult to remain optimistic. Unfortunately, that was the case for Hall, and whether or not that came out in the locker room, we can’t be sure, because none of us were there.

However, if those within the organization say that it became a problem in the locker room, then a trade was necessary. But overall, I feel that a new location was bound to happen for Hall at some point, because players are not just pawns in a giant game of chess. They have emotions and careers and goals to pursue as well.

Next: Acquiring Barrie Would Lead to Tough Road Ahead for EDM

Let’s say this is a giant game of chess. How far are you going to get against your opponent if you make the same moves going in each year, especially if you continue to lose each game? There has to be change, and pieces to sacrifice in order to win. Hall was that pawn.