Can't Miss Prospects; Taylor Hall

In the last three years leading towards the 2010 NHL Entry Draft, there has been one name on the minds of junior hockey fans, that has captivated them all...Taylor Hall.

Can't Miss Prospects; Taylor Hall

I've posted a few blogs now about 'Can't Miss Prospects' (CMP), but none of the previous players mentioned come with the championships, potential, and hype, as Taylor Hall.












Hall was born in Calgary, Alberta in 1991. His family moved to Kingston, Ontario when he was 13. His father is a former CFL player, who played with 3 CFL teams in the 1980's. After playing with the Greater Kingston Predators, Hall was drafted by the Windsor Spitfires with the 2nd overall pick in 2007. Hall chose to wear number 4, as a tribute to Bobby Orr.

Things clicked immediately for the rookie in 2007.

And the hockey world noticed soon after.

His first campaign in the OHL landed him an incredible 84 points, where he scored 45 goals in 63 games! It's because of these 84 points, and adding 5 points in 5 games in the OHL playoffs he was awarded both the OHL and CHL Rookie of the Year trophies.

He represent Canada twice and Ontario, once, in international play in 2008. Would you believe he won gold all three times?! Hall represented Canada at the 2008 IIHF World U18 Championships in Kazan, Russia. He was fifth in tournament scoring, with nine points in seven games, helping Canada to a gold medal. He returned to Canada's under-18 team to earn a second gold medal at the 2008 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament in Slovakia. Finally, he won gold with Team Ontario at the U-17 World Hockey Challenge.


















In the next season, 08/09, things got better for Hall, and the Spitfires. Hall was selected to play in the 2008 ADT Canada-Russia Challenge as the only non-draft eligible player on the team. He improved his points totals in his 2nd OHL season, by scoring 90 points. This was enough to lead the Spifires in points. The Spitfires entered 08/09 OHL playoffs, heavy favourites, and Hall led the way. In 20 games he achieved an incredible 36 points, scoring 16 goals! When the Spitfires won the OHL champioinship, the J. Ross Robertson Cup, Hall won the OHL playoff MVP award...Wayne Gretzky 99 Award. The Spitfires then went up against the best CHL teams in Canada at the Memorial Cup Tournament.

The tournament began on May 15, 2009. After starting 0-2 in the round-robin, Windsor defeated Rimouski in the tiebreaker and Drummondville in the semifinal, becoming just the second team since the current Memorial Cup tournament format was adopted in 1983 to reach the final after losing its first two games. Windsor then captured the Memorial Cup, defeating Kelowna 4–1 on May 24, 2009, becoming the first team in Memorial Cup history to win the tournament after starting 0–2, and also the first to win coming out of the tiebreaker.











Hall finished tied for 2nd in Memorial Cup scoring with 8 points. He won the tournament MVP, capturing the Stafford Smythe Memorial Trophy, and was chosen for the tournament's All-star team.


















A strange event happened during the 2009 summer, Hall got drafted. No, not to the NHL, but to the rival KHL Russian Super League. Even though he would likely never play there, Ak Bars Kazan selected him 89th overall, on June 1, 2009.

When the 09/10 OHL season began, Hall had become a household name in many hockey circles. He was 2nd in the preliminary rankings of the NHL Central Scouting, behind Tyler Seguin. (Please see CMP; Tyler Seguin, about my autograph adventure with him). However, when the 2nd rankings came out mid-season in January, it was Hall who was ranked first.

During the season, Hall was finally selected to play in the World Junior Championships for Canada. Hall made the team that was the host country, in Saskatchewan. He was the lone draft-eligible player selected to the final roster.













Hall scored a hat-trick against Slovakia, in a game Canada ended up winning 8-2. After the championships had finished Hall finished 3rd overall in scoring. He ended up with 6 goals and 6 assists for12 points, in 6 games. He was named to the tournament All-star team. Hall, and Team Canada, brought home silver.

His OHL campaign, this season, proved to be his finest. He finished with 106 points in only 57 games, scoring 40 times. He tied with Tyler Seguin for the overall scoring title, even though Seguin played in 6 more games (63) than he did. They shared the Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy for highest scorer in the Ontario Hockey League.












However, it would be Seguin who was ranked first, again, in the final Central Scouting report, putting Hall in the second position again. It'll be interested, come June, whether the Edmonton Oilers decide they need a centreman (Seguin) or a winger (Hall). I'm thinking they'll take Hall, leaving Seguin to be claimed by the Boston Bruins 2nd overall with the Toronto Maple Leafs former pick.

Hall and the Spitfires are currently in game 7, of the OHL playoffs against the Kitchener Rangers. The Rangers took an 3-0 series lead, which no one expected, and the Spitfires have won the last 3 games to tie it up, with 3 each.

As I write this, about 1:50pm, April 25th, the puck drops at 2:05pm. The winner will play the Barrie Colts, in the OHL final, for the OHL championship and the right to go to the Memorial Cup.

Last week, I decided that I've waited far too long to get Hall's autograph. And if I didn't act soon, the chance at getting his autograph would become alarmingly difficult, once he made the NHL.

I decided that on Saturday, I would go to Kitchener's Auditorium, home of the Rangers, and scout out Hall there.

On the way into work on Friday, travelling from Guelph to Woodstock, a certain large bus came in the opposite direction along the 401. It was a 'Great Canadian' bus, and on the side of it was; "Windsor Spitfires, 2009 Memorial Cup Champions". I smiled to myself.

Why?

Simple.

That was the team's bus, and I now knew that they were staying in Kitchener overnight, and would most likely practice in the morning. Getting autographs during practice is usually easier, than getting them after the game in Kitchener. Less people. No security to escort people out. And less chance of the bus travelling inside of the Aud, to pick up the players.

After work, I hit the internet to find photos suitable to get signed. I found two that I thought were good to go. The first was one of Hall stick-handling, and the second was Hall and Seguin shaking hands after the 'Top Prospects Game'. I figured that if I got Hall on it, it would be a matter of time before I met Seguin again, and had him sign it also.




























Saturday morning, my wife and I got up, and headed to Wal-mart to print the photos. After the instant 8x10's were printed, we had a quick breakfast, and headed to Kitchener to try our luck.

We arrived at the Aud, to see alot of cars, which suprised me. We walked up to the Aud, and spotted a worker having a smoke outside, and asked him what time the Spitfires hit the ice?. "11 to 12" he answered. Looking at my watch, it was already 10:20am, which meant Hall and his teammates were already inside. This cancelled Plan A, which was to catch him entering the Aud.

Time for Plan B, catch him inside...walking onto the ice.

This was going to be tough.

In Guelph, this is not a problem at all. However, I wasn't familiar with the Aud's practice rules and if they're open to the public.

Either way, I opened the door and we walked in.

We walked into the concourse to find out why there was so many cars in the parking lot. People weren't here for the Rangers and the Spitfires, they were here for a scrapbooking expo! "Scrapfest" looked like it had a few hundred people walking around, checking things out. I had zero interest, Corinna however, was mad she didn't know this event existed! Yes, my wife is a scrapbooker!

Anyways, we quietly entered into the arena and saw the Rangers on the ice going through their drills. Corinna and I, quickly and quietly moved through the Aud, towards the visitors ice entrance. We saw a few workers, but they didn't see us. We stopped in one of the hallways leading to the seats, from the concourse. We watched the Rangers practice for a bit. Suddenly, I had an idea...I told Corinna, let's check out the basement of the Aud, where the dressing rooms were, and see if we could catch Hall outside the dressing room warming up. I know this pre-practice ritual, because of watching Sidney Crosby go through it in Rimouski.

We made out way downstairs, only to find the Spitfires inside their dressing room, not outside warming up. We quickly left, quietly, and made our way to where they would enter the ice-surface. I sat in the first row, about 5 feet above the ice and walkway. Corinna sat at the top of the entrance to take a picture of Hall, hopefully, signing for me.

After the Rangers left the ice, the Zamboni, entered and cleaned the ice for the Windsor practice. While the Zamboni was circling the ice, the Spitfires began to come out, and wait at the ice surface's door. 1, 2, 3, they all started coming out and skated out to their bench. No Hall. Jesse Blacker, a Leafs' prospect entered. Zack Kassian, a Sabres' prospect, entered. I looked up at Corinna and shrugged. She looked at me, and gave me the "I don't think this is going to happen" look.

I turned at looked back at the team assembled across the ice surface, while the Zamboni finished it's job. When I glanced to my right again, to see what player was beside me, it was him.

Taylor Hall was waiting for the Zamboni to pass us by, so he could safely enter the ice, to join up with his team.

I briefly interupted that idea.

"Excuse me, Taylor?" I said. He looked up at me. "Could I get your autograph, please?" I finally asked the most famous hockey prospect in the world.

"Yup", was all he said. It was more than enough for me.

I moved lightning fast, and put my binder in front of him, exposing the two freshly made 8x10's, and handed him my silver Sharpie. He took his gloves off and put his stick to his side, and took my Sharpie, and signed both of my 8x10's. He quickly signed the stick-handling photo, as he's probably signed that one, more than a few times. However, he did stop for a second to look at the picture of him and Tyler Seguin. After that quick second, he placed a nice autograph over himself on the 8x10. He handed the Sharpie back to me, and after I capped it, I said "Thanks! Good luc..."


















But he was gone...just like that. He skated onto the ice and flew over to his teammates as the Zamboni made it's final pass. I looked up at Corinna and she smiled. I motioned to her, let's go...and we took off. We hustled down the Aud's concourse and corridor, and left the arena.




























We were outside a minute later...with two Taylor Hall autographs.














Thanks for checking out this latest entry, I hoped you enjoyed. It was alot of fun seeking out Taylor Hall, and asking for his autograph! As I finish this last sentence, about to start adding photos for your viewing pleasure, it's 4-1 for Windsor, first Spits goal by Adam Henrique, assist by...Taylor Hall, in the 3rd period.

Looks like the Spitfires have just done the impossible...came back from an 3-0 deficit in the series, to win 4-3!

See ya soon,
C

PS- My last poll had Sidney Crosby winning over Alex Ovechkin, in the fan category! More Sid the Kid fans check out my blog, I guess!

PS deux- I decided to change up the colour scheme, getting away from the dark-look, and threw out some blue. I like it, but it may change again.