As the Stanley Cup Finals featuring the Carolina Hurricanes vs. the Vegas Golden Knights play out, a popular debate among hockey fans is who will win the Conn Smythe Trophy?
What makes this kind of debate so passionate among fans is that a strong argument could be made for a handful of players on both teams.
Such prominent names as Golden Knights forwards Mitch Marner, Jack Eichel and goaltender Carter Hart all have solid chances.
Meanwhile the Hurricanes have great candidates including goalie Frederik Andersen, defenceman K’Andre Miller, who is a rock solid +14 this playoffs and Carolina’s second line consisting of Logan Stankoven, Jackson Blake and Taylor Hall, who has been playing his best hockey in years.
Carolina Hurricanes’ Taylor Hall Playing Like A Conn Smythe Trophy Winner
Hall, who was originally drafted in 2010, 1st overall by the Edmonton Oilers, is a 34 year-old 16 year veteran who this spring sits tied with Montreal Canadiens Lane Hutson and Nick Suzuki for third in playoff scoring with 16 points. Known for his vision and playmaking Hall has five goals along with 11 assists.
Still looking for his first Stanley Cup, what makes Hall the leading candidate for the Conn Smythe Trophy is his all-around game which includes having the playoffs third best plus/minus at +11 along with having a solid all around game which includes so far this playoff eight blocked shots, 19 hits along with having scored a game winning goal and adding two power play goals.
Another aspect which has keyed Carolina’s success is Hall playing a huge role in leading Carolina’s second line which has seen both Stankoven with 12 points (nine goals, three assists) and Blake 15 points (five goals, 10 assists) breakthrough in the playoffs. A lot of the credit according to these two players is the veteran leadership of Hall.
After tenures with the Oilers, New Jersey Devils, Arizona Coyotes, Buffalo Sabres, Boston Bruins and Chicago Blackhawks and not getting a sniff of playing for the Stanley Cup, Hall finally has his chance.
“It’s so much fun. I feel like I deserve it. I really feel like our team deserves it. I feel like we’ve paid the price,” Hall said during the Stanley Cup Final media day. “We’ve gotten better, and we’ve earned the right to be here. I couldn’t picture a better group to be here with.”
Hall’s Career Has Received A New Lease On Life Upon Becoming A Hurricane
Playing for the Blackhawks, it seemed like Hall’s career was quickly winding down when on January 24, 2025, he was involved in a three-team trade which saw him go to Carolina where he has become an important peace of the puzzle for their success.
Obviously at age 34, past his prime, Hall upon being traded produced nine goals and 18 points in 31 games which was followed this year by a respectable 18 goals and 48 points in 80 games played.
When Hall was traded from the Blackhawks to Carolina, he quickly realized that he wasn’t in skating shape. Given that their coach is a well known fitness freak in former NHLer Rod Brind’Amour, it’s not surprising that fitness is a major characteristic of the Hurricanes.
Throughout his career Hall has never been involved with any sort of controversy but more than likely he raised some fans eyebrows and was perhaps a tad to honest when he remarked about the trade:
“We’re a very fit team. When I got here from Chicago last year, I wasn’t in skating shape enough to play the way I wanted to here. It took me a couple of weeks because there is a lot of skating in the way that we play. Now it seems like second nature. It doesn’t hurt that your coach is in shape like that. He’s a role model for us, and we follow his lead.”
Hall Has Two Memorial Cups On His Resume
Prior to being drafted by the Oilers, Hall’s stock for the 2010 NHL Draft quickly shot up when in both 2009 and 2010 he was named MVP after helping the Windsor Spitfires win consecutive Memorial Cups.
Showing to be a clutch performer Hall in 2009 recorded eight points in six games as the Spitfires went on to defeat in Memorial Cup action the Kelowna Rockets by a 4-1 decision before shortly afterwards Hall was rewarded with the prestigious Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy as the tournaments Most Valuable Player.
The following spring, Hall made history when after helping Windsor to a second straight Memorial Cup, he became the first player to win in consecutive years the Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy. He also took home the Ed Chynoweth Trophy as the Memorial Cup top scorer.
As already emphasized, there are many worthy candidates for the Conn Smythe Trophy, but if you take into consideration Hall’s game at both ends of the ice and if the Hurricanes win the Cup, then this veteran should be voted the Conn Smythe Trophy winner.
Main Image: James Guillory-Imagn Images
