Hall is the final season of a four-year, $24 million contract ($6 million average annual value) he signed with the Boston Bruins on July 23, 2021, and can also become an unrestricted free agent after this season.
The Hart Trophy winner as the NHL MVP in 2017-18 with the New Jersey Devils, Hall has 721 points (275 goals, 446 assists) in 878 NHL games with the Edmonton Oilers, Devils, Arizona Coyotes, Buffalo Sabres, Bruins and Blackhawks. The 33-year-old was held out of the Blackhawks’ 4-3 overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on Friday.
The No. 1 pick by the Oilers in the 2010 NHL Draft, Hall has 29 points (14 goals, 15 assists) in 39 playoff games.
“He’s one of my closest friends in the League, he’s become one and it’s always hard because there are families involved and friendships,” said Blackhawks captain Nick Foligno, who was traded to Chicago from Boston with Hall on June 26, 2023. “In the same breath, it’s the business we understand and when you’re not where you’re supposed to be and guys are on expiring contracts, it’s the harsh reality of decisions that management has to make.
“We have no one else to blame but ourselves really in putting ourselves in the situation where they have to start thinking about the future and selling off. It’s not a fun feeling for anybody in here. When you’ve been a part of it a couple of times in my career, not too many, you lose some good friends. I wish ‘Hallsy’ all the best. He was a great pro for us, a great teammate, a great guy and he’ll be a great friend for a long time. So, it’s hard. You get to know the family and his little boy, I’ll miss seeing him around. But we’ll be close for a long time.”
Necas is in his sixth full season with Carolina and has 55 points (16 goals, 39 assists) in 49 games. The 26-year-old had an NHL career-high 71 points (28 goals, 43 assists) in 2022-23, and has 298 points (113 goals, 185 assists) in 411 games. He also has 30 points (11 goals, 19 assists) in 59 playoff games.
The No. 12 pick by Carolina in the 2017 NHL Draft, Necas signed a two-year, $13 million contract ($6.5 million AAV) on July 29 to avoid a salary arbitration hearing and could have become an unrestricted free agent after next season.
Drury is in his third full NHL season with Carolina, and has nine points (three goals, six assists) in 39 games after having 27 points (eight goals, 19 assists) in 74 games last season. The 24-year-old, who was selected by Carolina in the second round (No. 42) of the 2018 NHL Draft, has 46 points (15 goals, 31 assists) in 153 regular-season games and eight points (one goal, seven assists) in 24 postseason games.
He signed a two-year, $3.45 million contract ($1.725 million AAV) with Carolina on July 17.
The Hurricanes (30-16-3), who are second in the Metropolitan Division, rank fifth in the NHL with an average of 3.37 goals per game.
They have made the playoffs in six straight seasons but have not gotten to the Stanley Cup Final, losing in the Eastern Conference Final in 2019 and 2023.
They play at the New York Islanders on Saturday (7:30 p.m. ET; FDSNSO, MSGSN), and it is unclear if Rantanen or Hall will be in the lineup.
Before the season, Colorado general manager Chris MacFarland said he wasn’t worried about signing Rantanen to a new contract.
“No concern about it going into the season; these are not easy deals to do,” MacFarland said Oct. 8. “The player obviously has the UFA right to go, and the club has to make smart decisions, both for the short term and the long term.”
The Avalanche (28-19-2) hold the first wild card into the playoffs from the Western Conference. They play at the Boston Bruins on Saturday (1 p.m. ET; NHLN, NESN, ALT, SN, TVAS).
Hall, who last played in the postseason for Boston in 2023, when he had eight points (five goals, three assists) in seven games, said earlier this month that the possibility of going back to the playoffs would be a welcome opportunity.
“There’s always a bright spot and there’s always a positive you can take going on forward. Everyone in a contract year knows there’s a lot of different ways things can go,” he said. “I’m ready for anything. I have a great wife who is always ready for a good adventure, and if that’s here or if that’s somewhere else, we’ll figure it out.”
The Blackhawks acquired Hall to be a mentor and potential linemate for Connor Bedard, who was the No. 1 pick by Chicago in the 2023 NHL Draft. Hall missed most of last season after having surgery on his right knee in November 2023 and has played up and down the forward lines this season.
Chicago (15-28-5) is 15th in the Western Conference.
NHL.com staff writer Tracey Myers contributed to this report
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