Hall won't be in rush to sign extension with Devils, agent says

Taylor Hall feels no pressure to sign a contract extension with the New Jersey Devils once he becomes eligible to do so July 1, his agent told NHL.com on Monday.

"I'm in contact with (Devils general manager) Ray Shero, and he and I communicate regularly, and out of respect to the process, I really can't provide any details or any conversations that we engage in," Darren Ferris said. "... It's a decision the player will have to make in time, and there's no pressure into making it. It's just a discussion that is going to be ongoing."
The 27-year-old left wing, who can become an unrestricted free agent July 1, 2020, can sign an extension of up to eight years with the Devils beginning July 1.
The Fourth Period reported Monday that Hall, who won the Hart Trophy as NHL MVP last season, is not interested at this time in signing an extension with New Jersey.
"No idea where [the website] got that from aside from a 'source,'" Shero said in a text message. "Nothing on our end has changed and I have never heard differently from Taylor or Darren Ferris."
Ferris said, "I'm not going to speak to it because it's all fictitious and I'm just not going to respond to any of those questions out of respect to the conversations and discussions that are going on."
Hall missed the last 47 games this season and had arthroscopic surgery to remove loose fragments in his left knee in February. He had 37 points (11 goals, 26 assists) in 33 games.

Ferris said Hall's rehabilitation is going well and he remains on target to be ready for training camp in September.
The Devils (31-41-10) finished 29th in the NHL and missed the Stanley Cup Playoffs for the sixth time in seven seasons.
"We have the culture and character in our locker room but at this point in time, in my opinion, we lack some talent in positions," Hall said April 8. "Whether it's the players on our team getting better and improving, or from the outside. Certainly, when you finish 29th, you're lacking some skill and lacking some talent. The great part is we have a culture in our locker room that's fun to be around and conducive to success and hard-working people. Now it's about filling those gaps where we might have lacked this season.
"At this point I've enjoyed being a Devil and being around my teammates. The conversations about my future will happen."
Acquired in a trade from the Edmonton Oilers for defenseman Adam Larsson on June 29, 2016, Hall has one season remaining on the seven-year, $42 million contract he signed with the Oilers on Aug. 22, 2012.
The Devils have the No. 1 pick in the 2019 NHL Draft after winning the NHL Draft Lottery on April 9. Jack Hughes, who had 112 points (34 goals, 78 assists) in 50 games this season for USA Hockey's National Team Development Program under-18 team, is projected to be the No. 1 pick. He holds NTDP career records for assists (154) and points (228) in 110 games over two seasons.
Hall had an NHL career-high 93 points (39 goals, 54 assists) in 76 games in 2017-18, when he helped the Devils qualify for the playoffs for the first time in six seasons.