The Sabers have agreed to change Taylor Hall to the Bruins in a deal that will also make Curtis Lazar leave for Boston, with Buffalo hosting Anders Bjork and a 2021 second-round selection, a source confirmed to ESPN.
Hall waived its non-movement clause to facilitate the deal, which is pending a commercial call. The Sabers retain 50 percent of Hall’s salary, the source said.
TSN first reported the full trade deal Sunday night.
Hall earned 2018 league MVP honors with the New Jersey Devils, but has now changed twice in two years.
After the Devils traded Hall to the Arizona Coyotes during the 2019-20 season, Hall signed a $ 8 million one-year contract with the Sabers in free agency this past season. The 29-year-old devoted himself to increasing his courage while playing on the wing of Jack Eichel.
Instead, the Buffalo season has been a disaster. The Sabers endured a streak of 18 games without a win, the longest of the wage cap era, and coach Ralph Krueger left in March. Eichel has been injured and Hall has scored just two goals in 37 games.
Hall’s 0.51 points per game is the worst in his career, and he has a under-21 rating, the fourth worst in the NHL this season.
Hall and Buffalo had shown mutual interest in a new contract earlier this season, but the Sabers continue.
In his 11-year career, Hall has played in only 14 playoff games. He now joins a Boston team looking to squeeze at least one more Stanley Cup without his veteran core. After parting ways with captain Zdeno Chara and veteran defender Torey Krug in the offseason, the Bruins have been a work in progress in 2021.
Boston currently clings to fourth place in the playoffs in the Eastern Division. However, the Bruins have a young blue line and are ranked fifth worst in the league in 5-on-5 goals for 60 minutes, by Natural Stat Trick.
Prior to the Hall deal, the Bruins acquired defender Mike Reilly from the Ottawa Senators for the third-round pick.