Making The Grade…Taylor Hall

Today I’ll be handing out Taylor Hall’s report card, and I think this one is going on his parents fridge

Making The Grade…Taylor Hall

Team Play:A
Taylor Hall’s play speaks for itself, other than that horrendous start he had at centre. He is the heart of this team, there is no doubt about it, his passion and emotion is second to no one on this team. He is a leader and someone who at the age of 22, has his teammates looking to him when they need that energy in a game. He drives the ship, it was clearly evident that he was missed when he was out of the lineup. When they needed a boost the most he wasn’t there, when they needed that extra spark he wasn’t there, those games could have been a lot different. Tonight’s game against Nashville was a great example, he carried the pace for the game and his line. He made a few selfish plays but put his line mates in better positions more times than he didn’t, he also had an empty net to shoot at and passed it to Eberle to get the goal. He is a great leader on and off the ice, and already has a bond with: Justin Schultz, Eberle, Nuge, Arco, and Gagner. He is our future captain, and I’m looking forward to the day he dawns the C

Offense:A
At a PPG pace this season (7 goals 12 assists) he’s picked up where he left off last season when he was the 9th leading scorer in the league. Although he has missed some games this year, he looks stronger and healthier than ever. When Hall is on the ice, he makes the entire team better. His high-speed, hands, and the ability to shoot while skating that fast, gives him the unique opportunity to always create offence. In the game right now I don’t believe there is a more dominant skater and winger on the left side. Like Phil Kessel, Hall’s vision has a tendency to get over looked, he can force passes at moments, but for the most part he has great patience and vision. He adjusted his game since getting his bell rung a few times with his head down, and has learned to keep his head up and steady his pace to his game. That in turn gives him a little more energy in the long run and slowing his game down a bit giving him a chance to create offence and opportunities for his line mates. He has the ability to score, and he has the ability to be a setup man, he will go to the dirty areas and do whatever it takes to score or to set a team-mate up. His offence is the complete package!

Defense: C
His defense is slowly coming around, and he’s learning both sides of the game. He still has lots to learn, with coverage and defensive assignments, as well as turnovers, but he certainly knows how to use his speed to back check. He uses his speed and strength to his advantage, when he comes a blazing down the ice on the back check. Most of the time he is doing so because he caused a turnover, I am not using his first two games as evidence, because he was as lost on the ice anyone’s ever going to be. He is slowly, but surely learning to not force low % passes, as well as low percentage shots that can cause turnovers. We have all had that Hallsy moment of ” Why the %$@& did you shoot the puck or why didn’t you pass it!!” His defense obviously hasn’t been the greatest, but he’s learning and he has guys like David Perron and Boyd Gordon, as well as the Nuge to help him improve that aspect of his game. Lots of power forwards struggled with defense early in their careers – Ovechkin, Perry, Stamkos, Malkin – just to name a few. We have to be patient, and in the meantime and bask in his offence!

Overall Grade: A
Taylor Hall has lived up to everyone’s expectations. He has put up offence, been a great leader, addressed his defensive game and yet he still hasn’t shown us what he’s fully capable of. His performance this year has been nothing short of fantastic, aside from missing the few games due to the knee injury, he has been a factor in every game. He shows up every night and gives 110%. I don’t think I have watched a game and thought to myself “was Hall even playing tonight?” He is a player who doesn’t wait for the opportunities to come to him, he would rather create his own. He is 22 years old and hasn’t even scratched the surface of his potential, he will lead this team to victory or die trying, he’s the heart and soul of this team for years to come!

Don’t like the grades? feel free to tell me about it on twitter @madi39