The Buffalo Sabres aren't required to trade Taylor Hall, but it would be an absolute stunner if they didn't.
The star forward, for some reason, signed with Buffalo over the offseason on a one-year deal. It didn't take long for the Sabres to fall out of the playoff picture, and now they're obvious sellers ahead of the April 12 NHL trade deadline.
And on Tuesday, they made the most obvious decision to hint a Hall trade is coming.
From the Buffalo News' Mike Harrington:
"With less than a week to go before the NHL Trade Deadline, the Buffalo Sabres are entering don't-take-a-chance mode with winger Taylor Hall.
"The Sabres will be sitting out Hall for tonight's game against the New Jersey Devils in Prudential Center and there's no injury in play. Hall practiced fully on Monday but the team does not want to take any chances on an injury disrupting a potential trade of the former Hart Trophy winner."
Now, this doesn't mean they have something lined up, but that they're almost certain they're going to trade him. And with four games left on the schedule between now and the trade deadline for Buffalo, it made no sense to play him and risk injury -- like what happened with the Columbus Blue Jackets and trade chip Riley Nash.
Though not squarely on him, Hall hasn't done much to help the Sabres' cause. He's played in all 37 games this season and has just two goals with 17 assists -- not the type of numbers you want to see from a star winger.
