Will Buffalo try to extend Taylor Hall? Insider weighs in

With Buffalo's season sinking fast, the team has to make a decision on what to do with Taylor Hall. With 2020-21 just over the halfway point, it won't make a difference to the Sabres this year, they aren't making the playoffs. However, the team has to plan for the future, and either signing Hall or getting what you can for him now will have a significant impact.

The downfall for both Taylor and the Sabres in this situation is his production this season. Hall has just two goals and 16 points in 29 games so far. It puts him on pace for about 46 points over an 82 game season, which would be his lowest in a while and rock bottom when it comes to a season without injury other than his very first, in which he had 42 points. Hall's bargaining power on his next deal has never been lower when you factor in the financial restraints many teams are facing right now related to the COVID-19 pandemic. For Buffalo, his selling return will still be good, but much higher if he were having even a good year.

"To me the idea that they had earlier in the year where Taylor Hall would sign an extension to stay in Buffalo, to me that's out the door now in my opinion, even though the Sabres won't confirm that," said TSN's Pierre LeBrun recently.

It makes sense. Buffalo is already stuck with the absolute anchor of a contract that is Jeff SKinner's right now. Some would add Jack Eichel to that list but it seems that he has been playing with an injury for at least part of this season and his production will likely increase again at some point.

Sportsnet is listing the Toronto Maple Leafs, Colorado Avalanche, New York Islanders, Boston Bruins and Florida Panthers as possible trade destinations for Hall. For Toronto, it would definitely require salary of some form going the other way, but Hall should be a good add for any team looking to make a deep playoff run.

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