Taylor Hall hasn’t found himself on many third lines since being drafted with the number one overall pick by the Edmonton Oilers in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.
Skating against a Tampa Bay team Tuesday that has shown the importance of depth at the forward position, head coach Jim Montgomery dropped Hall down to the third line, looking to balance out his top three lines.
Thee move immediately paid off as Hall scored two of the Bruins three goals, propelling them to a 3-1 victory, their 13th in as many tries at TD Garden.
“It’s nice to see a couple go in. It felt like I had good legs the last few games, had some chances against Carolina,” Hall said. “It’s nice to contribute, nice to score at home, and it’s been a while since I’ve had a multi-goal game, so those are always fun. Just a good win against a good hockey team.”
Hall is a former MVP winner and despite some slow stretches during his time in Boston, has been a key piece to the Bruins’ depth puzzle.
What’s hurt the Bruins in past playoff series against teams like the Tampa Bay Lightning, Carolina Hurricanes and New York Islanders has been their lack of depth. Scoring beyond the Bergeron line being one of the biggest blemishes in those series.
“I think that's the key this year. You can talk about system changes all we want. But we have such a plethora of players and guys that can play anywhere,” Hall said.
“I think that's what really, over the course of a game, wears teams down, is how deep we are. Not just at forward, but on defense. I mean guys we put on waivers are tremendous hockey players in this league."
Hall skated on a line with Charlie Coyle and Trent Frederic. Coyle’s ability to create space with his puck possession skills and Hall’s ability to find open space is a combination that should allow the Bruins’ third line to find success.
“Charlie's really good at hanging onto pucks in the offensive zone, which allows Taylor time to get open,” Montgomery said. “(Hall’s) doing a lot of what I call championship-type hockey. Things that are helping our team win hockey games.”
With the type of resume Hall has and the skillset he brings to the table, a demotion to the third line could have had a negative impact.
Instead, Hall took his assignment and used it to help the Bruins skate to another impactful win.
"He is very accepting of the fact that I'm using him on the third line and we're using him on the second power play because that is what's best for the Boston Bruins,” said Montgomery. “I can't say enough about his exemplary attitude. He's still getting 15 minutes a night, and some nights he's getting 16, 17 depending on special teams."
A lot has gone right for the Bruins through the first two months of the season, scoring depth arguably being the biggest.
Hall and Coyle spent some time on a line together last year, struggling to put the puck in the net more often than not.
This time around, they hope for better results.
“I think just games and playing with him and seeing him. I think we’re working on our dialogue on the bench and just what he sees and what I see, areas where we can contribute and get better at," Hall said of playing with Coyle.
"He’s such a good hockey player, he’s so strong and good in his own end.”
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