Hall signs 7-year deal with Oilers
EDMONTON— Taylor Hall is in for the long haul in Edmonton.
The Oilers signed the 20-year-old forward to a seven-year, $42-million contract extension Wednesday and the Calgary native said he had no hesitation about the length of the deal.
“When they said seven years I didn’t blink,” he said. “I’m comfortable being here for that long. . . . I hope we’re a perennial threat. That’s my main goal and my mindset when I signed the deal.”
Hall was the Oilers’ first overall pick in 2010 and has since become a key fixture on the team’s youthful top line alongside fellow first overall pick Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Jordan Eberle.
The deal makes Hall the highest paid player on the Oilers in average salary at $6 million per year. Veteran centre Shawn Horcoff, who signed a hefty six-year, $33-million deal in 2009-10, will make $6 million next season but averages a lower cap hit at $5.5 million.
Eberle is also in negotiations for a contract extension and likely looking for similar money to Hall.
The Oilers have been in rebuilding mode for several years now. Last season they finished 29th in the NHL with a 32-40-10 record.
Hall finished second behind Eberle in scoring with 27 goals and 26 assists in 61 games. His season was cut short by a shoulder injury, but he said he’s 4 1⁄2 months into a sixmonth recovery and feeling close to being game-ready.
“I’m not going to say I’m perfect on Day 1 but it feels really good now.”