Taylor Hall For Adam Larsson V | 4,000+ Posts and Counting!

[doulos]

In what workplace does anyone ever all get along?

Hall was a stellar hockey player and will be missed. Hoping the new team being built can take the next step though. The rest is rag gossip as far as I am concerned.

 

[Crobby]

This Hall had an attitude and was shipped out because of it stuff is kind of silly.

1) All basically he said she said supposition.

2)Even if true what of it? Every pro team has cliques, every pro team probably has guys that figure they are better players than other guys.

3)Edmonton is so small if this stuff had legs there would be a whole lot more being said. The internets been around long enough and I can tell you some past players that really got talked about a lot and Hall hasn't been nearly as much.

4)If Hall was engaging inappropriately, and not being an ideal team guy (or whatever the suggestion is) its incumbent on org and management to remedy that. You know, the root word manage...

5)Shipping out an asset due some vague concept of him having "attitude" would be the stupidest thing this org did yet, which is saying a lot.

Maybe they just did

 

[KeithIsActuallyBad]

In what workplace does anyone ever all get along?

Hall was a stellar hockey player and will be missed. Hoping the new team being built can take the next step though. The rest is rag gossip as far as I am concerned.

When your objective is to achieve something as a group and you've failed...

 

[Aerrol]

Good lord, how can one player have his character crucified mercilessly, another be called openly a whiny cry baby, and yet Mr. Hall, who OPENLY GAVE UP ON HIS TEAM AND TEAMMATES for the last half of 2015-16, can be called a stalwart leader and have his blemishes blamed on anyone else but himself?

This bugs me too - people will crucify one player on the team and then attack another for the same or less. I guess it happens given personal preferences for players, but it is very noticeable when it happens. Although I generally don't put much weight into claims of character issues (hockey orgs love to scapegoat players..) , I agree with Ovechking, it's kind of fun speculation to consider if there was any weight to the Hall rumours and if this means the locker room might actually be improved.

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

Wait, who's potentially asking to be moved here? Hall or the 'star player'?

Clearly nuge.

So basically nuge and yak both were sick of halls crap and wanted out.

 

[BlowbyBlow]

You can't ever say in any workplace that it's alright to have cliques. Think historically of the best dressing rooms like Scott Stevens, Brodeur, Neidermeyer, Daneyko, Elias, Sykora or Detroit Yzerman, Shanahan, Chelios then the guys who came after.

Hall's attitude and behaviour comes from him being a kid in his own right, and not being shown the way as a leader.
Hall is definitely immature but he's also 24. Eberle/Nuge/Schultz was a clique that should have been broken about 3 years ago.

I can say this that it speaks volumes that after 6 years being the teams SECOND best player he wasn't untouchable. Take 30 other teams and think of how many deem that second best player untradeable. Not only that but to be a young guy and traded you have had to do something to really not develop well or be issues in some regard that change people's opinion on you.

Any team that has issues with a young player with talent Johansen, Erat, Seguin, E. Kane seem to be traded so there is more that meets the eye with how those teams felt that player affected the dynamics of the team. The other thing is upholding standards for that team/organization.

 

[SomeDudeOTI]

Taylor Hall has become so incredibly overrated and falsely revered around here I'm actually starting to dislike him.

Good lord, how can one player have his character crucified mercilessly, another be called openly a whiny cry baby, and yet Mr. Hall, who OPENLY GAVE UP ON HIS TEAM AND TEAMMATES for the last half of 2015-16, can be called a stalwart leader and have his blemishes blamed on anyone else but himself?

Jesus, I have so tried to refrain from any comments based on off-ice behaviour, but if you don't believe the Hall has a terrible reputation in this town for his extra curricular activities, you're either in complete denial or haven't heard any first hand reports.

There are literally dozens.

I find this headshaking as well... quite the double standard depending on the poster's feelings about players, and usually carried to the extreme. The worst part is it generally devolves into 5 pages of shot-slinging and often kills legitimate discussions.

Hall was an entertaining player to watch but for every 'OMG Amazing!!' moment there were 3 where I was yelling at the screen.

As for all the off-ice and locker room stories.. where there's smoke there's usually fire and there's been so many over the last few years that I think the only question was really how big of a fire. Anyone that entirely dismissed the situation had blinders on.

Someone mentioned that it couldn't have been true because if it was it would have been all over the place... well it Was all over the place. The only places the bar stories weren't treated as common knowledge was here (because it's against the rules) and in the media (who knew that stories like that would get them blackballed by the team). I also doubt that the media would write those stories for anything that didn't result in an arrest.

Also, with regards to why the team would have 97 room with 4 if any of this was true... that decision was made before management had their year to evaluate so the argument is invalid. Having 97 room with hall to provide guidance with his first year in the league and hockey mad Edmonton is a pretty obvious choice. Hall had just gone through most of what McDavid was facing and I tend to think that 97 is strong enough to do what he thought was right and not just be swayed by others.

 

[Traxy]

Also, with regards to why the team would have 97 room with 4 if any of this was true... that decision was made before management had their year to evaluate so the argument is invalid. Having 97 room with hall to provide guidance with his first year in the league and hockey mad Edmonton is a pretty obvious choice. Hall had just gone through most of what McDavid was facing and I tend to think that 97 is strong enough to do what he thought was right and not just be swayed by others.

The team may have thought that giving Hall the responsibility of mentoring the face of the franchise might smarten him up a bit.

If Hall had character issues, it's safe to say most of that can be laid at the feet of the franchise. Just look at the squad in his rookie year and tell me who was going to be the veteran leader that kept the young kids on the straight and narrow:

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/teams/0000412011.html

The only guy out of that entire list that remotely had any leadership qualities was Shawn friggin' Horcoff. Everyone else was either a youngster or a new addition. We gave the young kids the keys to the team well before they were ready for the responsibility. It shouldn't come as any surprise that some of them handled it poorly.

 

[doulos]

When your objective is to achieve something as a group and you've failed...

There is friction between people, on some level, at any place I have ever worked at. Way too much is being made of this, even if it is true.

Hall was traded because he's the only guy that would get Larsson and that's who the Oilers wanted. Seems pretty cut and dry.

 

[guymez]

There is friction between people, on some level, at any place I have ever worked at. Way too much is being made of this, even if it is true.

Hall was traded because he's the only guy that would get Larsson and that's who the Oilers wanted. Seems pretty cut and dry.

I dont think it is that cut and dry from an Oiler perspective. Every single player that has been interviewed has stated that they werent surprised the deal was made.
Thats not typically the reaction of a team when it trades a foundational (core) player and its defacto leader.
The reactions are incongruent compared with the scope of what took place.

Also...how would Matt Hendricks know a full month before the trade and randomly ask NJ management about a specific player like Adam Larsson?

 

[McPuritania]

In what workplace does anyone ever all get along?

Hall was a stellar hockey player and will be missed. Hoping the new team being built can take the next step though. The rest is rag gossip as far as I am concerned.

There is friction between people, on some level, at any place I have ever worked at. Way too much is being made of this, even if it is true.

Hall was traded because he's the only guy that would get Larsson and that's who the Oilers wanted. Seems pretty cut and dry.

A hockey team's locker room is very different from other workplaces. Group unity is paramount to a sports team, and isn't nearly as important in a normal working environment. You don't need accountability, and character from Bill in accounting to go to war for him in HR.

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

The team may have thought that giving Hall the responsibility of mentoring the face of the franchise might smarten him up a bit.

If Hall had character issues, it's safe to say most of that can be laid at the feet of the franchise. Just look at the squad in his rookie year and tell me who was going to be the veteran leader that kept the young kids on the straight and narrow:

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/teams/0000412011.html

The only guy out of that entire list that remotely had any leadership qualities was Shawn friggin' Horcoff. Everyone else was either a youngster or a new addition. We gave the young kids the keys to the team well before they were ready for the responsibility. It shouldn't come as any surprise that some of them handled it poorly.

I'm gonna file it under "boys will be boys"

I remember Ryan Whitney calling him Taylor "the franchise" hall when they were goofing around 30 years ago or whenever. Whitney joking as if Hall like to think of himself in that light.

Everything that has ever happened now points to character issues.

I'm sure we're overblowing this of course. I wouldn't think it means he's mean or that conceded. But he is a superstar and egos get involved and he may have a valid perspective.

The main problem was we still sucked despite Hall's constant pouting and distractions.

 

[Aerchon]

People are just widely speculating one way or another depending if you like Hall or don't like Hall.

The comments about the Oilers "not being surprised" are very obviously in reference to the fact that Chiarelli clearly told everyone inside and outside the organization that big change was coming. Eberle was quoted as saying he had no idea if he would be back next at his season ending interview.

The comments about the team being tighter nit or whatever are a direct result of the above and a standard hockey response in general.

I would hope no one would ever throw themselves on the sword so to speak and say "OMFG we lost Hall!@!! our best player! we're doomed! Larsson sucks balls and will be a locker room cancer!

 

[SomeDudeOTI]

The team may have thought that giving Hall the responsibility of mentoring the face of the franchise might smarten him up a bit.

If Hall had character issues, it's safe to say most of that can be laid at the feet of the franchise. Just look at the squad in his rookie year and tell me who was going to be the veteran leader that kept the young kids on the straight and narrow:

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/leagues/seasons/teams/0000412011.html

The only guy out of that entire list that remotely had any leadership qualities was Shawn friggin' Horcoff. Everyone else was either a youngster or a new addition. We gave the young kids the keys to the team well before they were ready for the responsibility. It shouldn't come as any surprise that some of them handled it poorly.

Yeah I agree with most of the org bashing that goes on about this subject.. sink or swim with little to no leadership is not a recipe for success. And then to put Hall in the leadership role, having had none himself...

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

Yeah I agree with most of the org bashing that goes on about this subject.. sink or swim with little to no leadership is not a recipe for success. And then to put Hall in the leadership role, having had none himself...

You can train a peacock to be a falcon. As the saying goes.

 

[frag2]

Clearly nuge.

So basically nuge and yak both were sick of halls crap and wanted out.

Well with Hall gone, here's hoping both actually show up consistently throughout the season.

It's not even put up or shut up now; it's put up or get out

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

Well with Hall gone, here's hoping both actually show up consistently throughout the season.

It's not even put up or shut up now; it's put up or get out

It's still shut up too.

 

[Tarus]

Clearly nuge.

So basically nuge and yak both were sick of halls crap and wanted out.

That would be a hilariously stupid decision if they actually chose Yakupov and RNH over Hall

 

[Kolja]

Listening to recent interviews:

Kassian - NOW we can gel as a team
Hendricks - I'm not surprised Hall was the one moved

Adding Hall's end of season presser where he clearly stated that he lost hope in the team, I'd say trading him was an easy choice.

 

[Up the Irons]

Every team has a player or two with character flaws. It's only an issue if the team sucks.

Exhibit 1: Patick Kane.

 

[Raab]

Who cares if Hall is a cancer or not. He's not on our team anymore, so it no longer matters. Trying to justify the trade and drag Hall's name through the mud is childish at best. Let's hope that Larsson is one of the pieces we need to move forward towards the playoffs. and wish Taylor all the best in Jersey.

 

[BoldNewLettuce]

Every team has a player or two with character flaws. It's only an issue if the team sucks.

Exhibit 1: Patick Kane.

Indeed.

Never touching the puck and having to pander to an attention ***** sucks more when you're having no fun and are a public laughing stock.

 

[doulos]

I dont think it is that cut and dry from an Oiler perspective. Every single player that has been interviewed has stated that they werent surprised the deal was made.
Thats not typically the reaction of a team when it trades a foundational (core) player and its defacto leader.
The reactions are incongruent compared with the scope of what took place.

Also...how would Matt Hendricks know a full month before the trade and randomly ask NJ management about a specific player like Adam Larsson?

Every single player was saying they would not be surprised if big changes were made even before Hall was traded. It was clear something was going to happen. Wasn't Hall specific.

 

[doulos]

A hockey team's locker room is very different from other workplaces. Group unity is paramount to a sports team, and isn't nearly as important in a normal working environment. You don't need accountability, and character from Bill in accounting to go to war for him in HR.

Except it isn't important when you have crappy character people on Stanley Cup winning teams (as was pointed out about Patrick Kane). Like I said, totally overblown.

 

[guymez]

Every single player was saying they would not be surprised if big changes were made even before Hall was traded. It was clear something was going to happen. Wasn't Hall specific.

I have listened to every interview available and I have yet to see a congruent response to the teams main core player and defacto leader being dealt. Muted responses at best.
There is more to this story IMO but we will likely never know the details so we are left with trying to interpret the available evidence.

What we will know however is if the team carries itself in a different manner this season when things gets tough.

I like Hall but the reality was that he carried himself on the ice in a manner which was self serving when things got tough. As the main leader of this team that wasn't nearly good enough. Sure we can say that losing affected the player but there are many examples of players in losing environments that maintain a separation from allowing the losing to become part of their persona.
I didnt appreciate the fact that Hall sagged as much as he did the past few years...being the core player he was it affected the team in a big way. I loved watching Halls dynamic play but i wont miss the way he sometimes carried himself on the ice and on the bench.

I suspect that the team wont miss that either. Its tough to be part of the solution when you bring a cloud of negativity with you.

Now let me be clear here...i am not endorsing the Hall trade. It was a clear fail for Chiarelli. All I am saying is that you would have to be completely out of touch not to recognize that Hall was his own worst enemy at times and that this element wasnt helping the team..
So now we wait and we watch.