Hall: Buffalo is a place 'I could see myself for a while'
Taylor Hall could find himself in Buffalo for longer than the one-year deal he signed on Sunday if things go according to his plan.
"Very interested," Hall said during his introductory meeting on Monday about his openness to staying in Buffalo long-term. "It's close to home, it's close to my parents, it's a place that I could see myself for a while. They have elite pieces.
"Hockey is a very interesting thing. Three years ago nobody thought that Colorado would be the No. 1 destination for guys to go to and things can happen, things can turn pretty quick, especially if you have elite pieces like the Sabres do. And I really believe that."
Hall surprisingly signed a one-year, $8 million deal with the Sabres as one of the league's most sought-after free agents. The left-winger confirmed he left some multi-year deals from other teams on the table and said he was interested in a one-year or a six-to-seven-year deal. He added that Buffalo only offered him a one- or two-year deal.
"To start off with, we knew it was going to be a unique marketplace coming into free agency, and once free agency started I think we were made aware pretty quickly at how much things have changed and how COVID had affected a lot of different things, so it kind of changed our decision making from there," Hall said.
Hall is joining a young Sabres team that has a lot of potential, with dynamic superstar Jack Eichel leading the way. Buffalo also has a former No. 1 pick in defenseman Rasmus Dahlin and goalscorers such as Victor Olofsson and Jeff Skinner on the roster.
The 28-year-old has pointed to the Sabres' pieces and recent play as an optimistic sign and hopes his presence can elevate the team to contender status. When asked if Eichel's presence was a partial reason he chose Buffalo, Hall was quick to say yes.
"There's no doubt about it that him being there is a big reason why I chose Buffalo, he's an amazing hockey player," Hall said. "I think that he took a great step last year. Now it's about if we can find a way to get him in the playoffs and really produce on a stage that I feel that he deserves.
"When you look past some of the smoke and some of the stuff that's happened to the Sabres the last couple of years, under the hood there's some really good pieces and I really believe that and that's where my mind was the last couple of days thinking about Buffalo."
The 2018 Hart Trophy winner scored 16 goals and added 36 assists in 65 games last season between the New Jersey Devils and Arizona Coyotes. He's amassed 218 goals and 345 assists in 627 games in his career.
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