Hall can't wait to experience playoffs with Devils

NEWARK, N.J. -- Taylor Hall has earned the right to be competing for the ultimate prize in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

The New Jersey Devils left wing has been the engine of their offense all season, establishing several NHL career highs and helping them to their first playoff berth in six seasons.
New Jersey (44-29-9) will play the Tampa Bay Lightning in the Eastern Conference First Round beginning Thursday, when Hall will finally be able to experience playoff hockey in his eighth NHL season.
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"I'm new to this whole thing, and I hope we're in the playoffs every year from this point forward," said Hall, 26. "It's high pressure but also a lot of fun. This is what hockey is all about, being in these moments with the group.
"I think the biggest thing I'm excited for is the playoff-type atmosphere, whether we're home or away. Just how fast it's going to be, how every chance is going to be ... that's what it's all about and it's been a long time since I experienced that, since junior hockey, so I can't wait for that."
The Devils acquired Hall in a trade with the Edmonton Oilers for defenseman Adam Larsson on June 29, 2016. He tied Kyle Palmieri for the New Jersey scoring lead his first season with 53 points (20 goals, 33 assists), but general manager Ray Shero and coach John Hynes said they knew Hall had much more to offer.

Hall said in training camp that he had higher expectations of himself in his second season with the Devils. He delivered, scoring 93 points (39 goals, 54 assists), sixth most in the NHL, in 76 games. Besides points, goals and assists, he established NHL career highs in rating (plus-14), power-play points (37), overtime goals (three) and shooting percentage (14.0).
"There's a lot of highs and lows and as a player you try and keep it on an even keel," Hall said. "I wanted better for myself. I was confident I could rebound and I never really wavered in the things Ray and John were doing to lead this group."
Hall changed his offseason routine to help him be at his best from the start of camp.
"I started skating in June when in previous years I wouldn't start until maybe August, and I think just little tinkers here and there have really helped," he said. "Then just the performance of our team. Being on a much better team, with a higher skill level. No matter who you play with on a line this season, you're seeing that skill every night."
New York Islanders forward Jordan Eberle said he isn't surprised by his former Edmonton teammate's success and is happy that Hall is finally in the playoffs.
"We have a unique situation because we came in the League together (in 2010-11)," Eberle said. "If you would have asked [us] eight years ago if we were to be in Long Island and New Jersey, we would have laughed at you, but I think it's worked out the way it has. The biggest thing with him is he's stayed healthy. I think he's changed his game throughout the years where maybe in earlier years he was a little bit reckless and getting injured. Now he's been able to tailor his game and find a niche that he's able to stay healthy."

Hall, selected No. 1 by Edmonton in the 2010 NHL Draft, had 38 points (18 goals, 20 assists) during a personal 26-game point streak Jan. 2-March 6 (he missed three games from Jan. 22-25 with a thumb injury). He had a 19-game point streak (26 points; 13 goals, 13 assists) to set the Devils record after returning from the injury, and had a nine-game point streak (17 points; eight goals, nine assists) March 18-April 5.
Hynes said familiarity with his coach and teammates is just part of why Hall has taken his game to another level.
"The way we do things seems to fit the way he plays but Taylor Hall's success this year is all about Taylor Hall," Hynes said. "He's made improvements in certain areas where we felt he needed to be better, like how he practices and leads the team, the consistency in how he played, and detail that he played with when he didn't have the puck.
"He's become a more accurate shooter, and when you look at the year he's had, you're looking at a guy that's tremendously driven and focused. He's had the most success because it's come from him."

Hall said, "There's no better feeling than to prove people wrong and as a group we have a lot of guys in here that have had to do that. The fact we were able to play as well as we did and win games is a credit to the guys in here for just coming up when the pressure was on.
"This is only the first step in the journey. There's a lot more to come and I'm excited for what we can do."
NHL.com deputy managing editor Brian Compton contributed to this report.