Chicago Blackhawks to make former 1st overall pick a healthy scratch against Vancouver Canucks
Chicago Blackhawks forward and former 1st overall pick Taylor Hall is expected to be a healthy scratch tonight in Vancouver as Connor Bedard faces his hometown team.
Blackhawks head coach Luke Richardson confirmed this decision this morning after the team's practice. The coach is in his third year with the team and seems to be putting forth a message that all players will be held accountable. He said he hopes that this will be a 'good step for him.'
It is not unusual to see players be healthy scratches in any league, let alone the NHL. After all, teams carry extra players for every game. Seeing a player of Hall's caliber be a scratch is rare though. After all, this is a former 1st overall pick and MVP winner.
The decision has sparked a debate among fans. Many have sided with the player, calling Richardson 'useless' or otherwise insulting his abilities as a coach.
However, most fans seem to agree with the bench boss's decision. Hall is not the player he used to be and continues to decline as he gets further into his 30s.
Furthermore, many have pointed out his long injury history which seems to have greatly affected his ability to play the game.
Hall got into just 10 games last season and recorded 4 points, largely playing on the top line with a rookie Connor Bedard. This season he has just 6 points through 17 games playing largely in a second-line role.
His last full season came in 2021-22 when he put up 61 points in 81 games for the Boston Bruins.
Unfortunately, it seems that that version of Hall simply does not exist anymore. His age combined with his injuries have made him a shell of his former self.
Hopefully, he will take this scratch well and work his way back into the lineup and be effective, but at this point we shouldn't get our hopes up.
