Taylor Hall trade: Who won the Blackhawks and Bruins deal?

Blackhawks grade: B+

Taylor Hall may not be the player he once was in his prime, but he’s still an incredibly useful and talented forward. Last year with the Bruins, Hall posted 16 goals and 36 points in 61 games for a Boston club that ended up becoming the best regular season team in NHL history. Hall has had a long and complicated history in hockey after being the No. 1 overall pick of the Edmonton Oilers in 2010, but has won a Hart Trophy after scoring 39 goals and 93 points in 2017-18.

The Blackhawks are going to be a bad team by design next season, even with Hall’s help. The real reason Chicago made this deal, however, is to put Hall on Connor Bedard’s wing to help bolster the offense around the likely No. 1 overall pick. While the Blackhawks will still likely be a bottom-of-the-barrel team next season, having Hall setting up Bedard on the top line isn’t a bad way to start a new era in Chicago.

As for Foligno, the Blackhawks reportedly want to sign the pending UFA before he hits the market on July 1. Chicago needs NHL caliber bodies on their roster and Foligno fits the bill here nicely. We’ll have to see if the Blackhawks can sign Foligno before he hits free agency later this week.