The Boston Bruins have made a significant trade, sending Taylor Hall and the rights to Nick Foligno to the Chicago Blackhawks in exchange for pending restricted free agents Alec Regula and Ian Mitchell. This move allows the Bruins to clear Hall’s $6 million salary from their books, providing them with financial flexibility. Hall, the 2017-18 Hart Trophy winner, is signed with the Blackhawks through the 2024-25 season.
Alec Regula, a 22-year-old defenseman, has appeared in four games for the Blackhawks this season, recording no points. The former third-round pick of the Detroit Red Wings in 2018 had a productive stint in the AHL’s Rockford IceHogs, tallying five goals and 21 points in 51 games.
Ian Mitchell, a 24-year-old defenseman, played 35 games for the Blackhawks this season, contributing one goal and eight points. He was chosen by Chicago in the second round of the 2017 NHL Entry Draft and has accumulated four goals and 16 points in his 82-game NHL career.
It is worth noting that Taylor Hall had a 16-team no-trade list, which did not include the Blackhawks. Hall, a seasoned forward and former first-overall pick, has had a productive career with several teams, including the Edmonton Oilers, New Jersey Devils, Arizona Coyotes, Buffalo Sabres, and most recently, the Bruins.
In his tenure with the Bruins, Hall scored 16 goals and 36 points in 61 games during the past season and added five goals and eight points in the playoffs. Throughout his 13-year NHL career, Hall has accumulated 264 goals and 693 points in 822 games.
With the salary cap space cleared by Hall’s departure, the Bruins are expected to pursue re-signing Tyler Bertuzzi, who is set to become an unrestricted free agent. Bertuzzi split the 2022-23 season between the Red Wings and the Bruins, posting eight goals and 22 assists in 50 games. The Bruins acquired Bertuzzi on March 2, and he made a notable impact in the playoffs with five goals and five assists.
Bertuzzi, 28, is coming off a two-year, $9.5 million deal he signed with the Red Wings in 2021. There is a strong possibility that the Bruins will make an effort to secure his services before he hits the open market.
Source: TSN
