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Taylor Hall Working on New Deal With Coyotes?

Reports are that Taylor Hall is negotiating with the Coyotes about a possible extension. There are questions in Arizona about who is behind the offer — the owner or GM.

According to a report from NHL insider and contributor to The Athletic Craig Custance, current left-winger for the Arizona Coyotes, but pending unrestricted free agent Taylor Hall is in negotiations to stay with the franchise.

Custance writes:

Sounds like Coyotes and Taylor Hall have re-engaged in contract talks. Although I think it’s new CEO Xavier Gutierrez running point on negotiations and not GM John Chayka. Hall would be the top UFA forward if he hits the market.

Perhaps it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the two sides are talking considering the situation facing players and a flat salary cap this coming season. In any other year, Hall might be salivating at the idea of seeing what the market would bring. This year, things are a bit different.

There’s been a ton of talk about where Hall might end up, but it was only ever an assumption he would leave Arizona. Hall never actually gave that indication and he has publicly talked about enjoying his experience with the team in the short time he’s been there since arriving from New Jersey.

Meanwhile, for the Coyotes, they paid a fair price to acquire Hall (a 2020 conditional first-round draft pick, a conditional 2021 third-rounder, along with forward prospects Nate Schnarr, Nick Merkley and defenceman Kevin Bahl) and letting him walk away isn’t ideal. So too, there’s not a lot to choose from in free agency at the forward position and Hall will be one of the bigger fish.

The shock may come if Hall re-signs before the season ends and isn’t paid handsomely for doing so. While free agents may have seen their ability to shop for a new contract come up at the wrong time, the expectation was that Hall would still get paid.

The Coyotes have plenty of cap space, but is Hall a $10 million player? It’s really hard to answer that question right now. But, if the Coyotes and Hall come to terms, they may also set the market at the same time.

Related: Caleb Jones Says He Had COVID-19, Will More Players Follow His Lead?

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