Trade for Taylor Hall Gives Devils a Top Line Forward

Taylor Hall (Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports)

The New Jersey Devils and Edmonton Oilers were part of a blockbuster trade on Wednesday, swapping defenseman Adam Larsson for left winger, Taylor Hall.

The Devils sent Larsson to Edmonton in exchange for Hall. The deal gives the Devils the top line forward that they have been looking for, as the Oilers get to shore up their back end in the deal and get the right handed defender they have been searching.

Hall, the number one overall selection in the 2010 National Hockey League Entry Draft, has spent six seasons with the Oilers where he has scored 132 goals and 196 assists in 381 games. During the 2015-2016 season, Hall put up 26 goals and 39 assists in 82 games.

The Calgary native, reunites with former Windsor Spitfires teammate and Devils center, Adam Henrique with this trade. Along with Henrique, he helped lead the Spitfires to two Ontario Hockey League Championships and two Memorial Cup Championships.

The Devils were ranked 30^th in the league in scoring during the 2015-2016 season, with Kyle Palmieri leading the way for them. Palmieri is eligible to become a restricted free agent on Friday. The Devils tendered him his qualifying offer to be guaranteed to receive compensation if another team gives him an offer sheet.

Larsson, the Devils number pick in the 2011 NHL Draft, put up three goals and 15 assists for New Jersey in 82 games during the 2015-2016 season, while averaging 22:30 of ice time per game. Over his career, he has nine goals and 55 points in 274 games.

Larsson gives the Oilers another top right-handed defenseman to their lineup with Mark Fayne as the only other one they have signed for the 2016-2017 season. Adam Clendening and Eric Gryba are scheduled to become unrestricted free agents on July 1^st.

The trade was a straight up player for player deal made between the two clubs. Edmonton general manager Peter Chiarelli has now traded the top two players from the 2010 NHL Draft after having sent the number two selection, Tyler Seguin to the Dallas Stars, in 2013, while he was the GM of the Boston Bruins.