The Boston Bruins have traded former Hart Trophy winner Taylor Hall to the Chicago Blackhawks.
The Bruins are also sending the rights to pending unrestricted free agent Nick Foligno in the trade. In exchange, Boston is acquiring the rights to restricted-free-agent defencemen Ian Mitchell and Alec Regula.
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Hall had 16 goals and 36 points in 61 games for the Bruins last season, and added eight points in seven playoff games. The 31-year-old won the Hart Trophy in 2017-18 when he was a member of the Devils after putting up a career-high 39 goals and 93 points.
Hall has two more years remaining on his contract with a $6 million cap hit. Before the trade, the Bruins were projected to have just under $5 million in cap space (according to CapFriendly.com) with Patrice Bergeron, Tyler Bertuzzi, David Krejci and Dmitry Orlov among their pending unrestricted free agents.
Hall, who was the first-overall pick in the 2010 NHL Draft by the Edmonton Oilers, will now be paired with Connor Bedard, the generational talent expected to be taken first-overall in Wednesday’s NHL Draft. Hall has been on a number of teams that have selected first overall in his career, including the Oilers (2011, 2012 and 2015), Devils (2017) and Sabres (2021).
Foligno, 35, is a 16-year veteran who had 10 goals and 26 points with the Bruins last season. In a statement after the trade was announced, Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson hinted that his team will try to sign Foligno to a new contract.
“We are thrilled to be adding players of Nick’s and Taylor’s calibre to our organization,” Davidson said. “The two bring a wealth of experience and leadership that will strengthen not only our forward group, but aid in the development of our entire roster.”
Mitchell, 24, has appeared in 82 NHL games with the Blackhawks over the last three seasons. Regula, 22, has skated in 22 games with the Blackhawks over the past three seasons.
The Bruins are coming off a historic regular season in which they set a new NHL record for wins (65) and points (135), but were upset in the first round of the playoffs by the Florida Panthers in seven games.
The Blackhawks parted ways with long-time franchise icons Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews this season and finished with 59 points, tied for second-worst in the NHL. But they got some lottery-ball luck in May and will have the chance to select top junior prospect Connor Bedard this week with the first of 11 picks in the draft.
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