Taylor Hall issues very harsh message to Connor Bedard, Anders Sorensen’s Blackhawks after trade

Former Chicago Blackhawks forward Taylor Hall broke his silence on the lack of playing time with Connor Bedard, delivering a bold statement aimed at interim coach Anders Sorensen.

Taylor Hall wasn’t surprised to learn he had been traded by the Chicago Blackhawks, and honestly, neither were most people within the organization. The fourth-liner offered many appealing traits for contenders in the NHL, but Anders Sorensen had little use for him in his lineup. As the dust begins to settle on the trade, Hall issued a strong statement to his former organization, hinting at his lack of playing time alongside superstar Connor Bedard.

Selected with the first overall selection in the 2010 NHL entry Draft, Taylor Hall couldn’t find his footing in any franchise and has been quite a journeyman for a first overall pick. Although Hall won the Hart Trophy in the 2017-18 season, it seemed the expectations far exceeded his numbers in the league.

Still, Hall remains an exciting asset for any team, and his role on the Blackhawks‘ fourth line always seemed to underutilize his ability. While Connor Bedard’s linemates were shuffled around, with the 19-year-old prodigy struggling to find the right fit, Hall wasn’t given many opportunities to form a duo with Bedard.

Regardless, Hall never raised his voice, understanding the Blackhawks’ direction and looking to help in any way he could. However, as he returns to United Center, but this time playing for the Carolina Hurricanes, the 33-year-old has finally shared his thoughts on the situation in the Windy City. Hall sent a bold message to interim coach Anders Sorensen, as well as to General Manager Kyle Davidson.

I’m definitely a better player than the amount I was playing,” Hall stated, via Ben Pope of Chicago Sun-Times. “But you also understand where they’re coming from. [The Blackhawks] have a different timeline than my career’s. They wanted to play young guys.”

Lack of opportunities

Hall’s final days in Chi-Town were marked by an underwhelming role on the fourth line, playing mostly alongside Ryan Donato and Pat Maroon. Hall averaged the least amount of ice time of his career as he played 14:57 minutes on average every night.