The Edmonton Oilers have traded Taylor Hall to the New Jersey Devils.
Defenceman Adam Larsson is the only piece heading the other way.
Hall was selected first-overall by the Oilers in the 2010 NHL Draft. The 24-year-old registered 132 goals, 196 assists for 328 points in 381 games. He scored 26 goals and added 39 assists in the first season where he suited up for all 82 games.
Oilers general manager Peter Chiarelli has now traded the top two picks from the 2010 draft. When he was the GM of the Boston Bruins, he traded Tyler Seguin, the No. 2 pick, to the Dallas Stars in 2013.
Chiarelli said at a news conference Wednesday the Oilers had spent the last four or five months looking to add a defenceman.
“We’ve pounded the pavement and this is the price you have to pay,” Chiarelli explained. “I spoke with Taylor earlier today…He was very disappointed. He wanted to be part of the solution…We tried at varying degrees at the draft to trade for a defenceman.”
This trade means Hall reunites with Devils forward Adam Henrique. The two helped lead the Windsor Spitfires to two Memorial Cup championships in 2009 and 2010.
Larsson, the fourth-overall pick in 2011, is one of the more promising young blueliners in the league. The Skelleftea, Sweden native had three goals, 15 assists, 77 penalty minutes and a plus-15 rating in 82 games last season.
