3 ideal trade partners for the Blackhawks if they move Taylor Hall

The Chicago Blackhawks recently scratched Taylor Hall, and could it be a sign that his days are numbered in the Windy City? Of course, nobody in the organization would directly say that, but it won’t stop trade rumors from swirling.

And mid-to-late November seems to be the time of the year when we can start speculating about trades, as a few teams will inevitably drop off and start looking to sell. At this point, the Hawks, unfortunately, look like surefire sellers, but it shouldn’t be a downer. 

How long would Hall realistically be a big help for this team? He may have been gone after this year anyway, and if he lands somewhere with even decent complementary talent, there’s a chance he could show the league that he’s better than he’s played so far this year.

Buffalo Sabres

This one is easy: The Sabres have a monster prospects pool, and they’re a team struggling with injuries with a fanbase more impatient than the one in Chicago. Hey, let’s face it: The Blue and Gold have missed the playoffs 13 years in a row, so they kind of have a right to be mad. 

While I don’t think Hall would be the best fit for Buffalo, not that he was once upon a time, either, the Sabres are in crunch time with an older coach and perhaps a general manager on the hot seat. They know Hall can still play with ample talent around him, and the Sabres have enough of it; they just don’t have a sound supporting cast, and Hall would help out there. 

Detroit Red Wings

For one, see above because just as the Sabres have a strong prospects pool, the Red Wings are right there with them. And while I’ve recently spoken about how bad the Blackhawks are at finding the net, the Wings, somehow, are even worse. 

This is a team that was supposed to find its way back to postseason relevance this year, and they have just 15 points in 17 contests to show for it. Yeah, do the math so the goal (no pun intended) should be to find a solid rental or two that will help them break out of their scoring slump. 

Hall hasn’t done much in the way of scoring this season, but just like with Buffalo, put him onto a team that’s supposed to have a solid core, and he could eventually provide a sound role as a supplementary scorer.  

Edmonton Oilers

The Oilers are one of the NHL’s oldest teams this season, so trading for proven, seasoned veterans may be the way to go. And for Hall, this one would be a homecoming, as he spent a few years in Alberta before venturing south and has since taken a tour across the U.S. 

Anyway, the Oilers could use a player who may give them solid, even if they’re unspectacular, returns in all three zones, and chances are, they’ll overpay to bring in someone with a talent level like Hall’s. This is an organization desperate to win a Cup, so adding Hall as a lower liner would be a big win, and the Hawks could relish in a surprisingly generous return.