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Hall comfortable in spotlight
OHL star wants to be an Oiler
By
DEREK VAN DIEST, QMI Agency
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  Taylor Hall, pictured here in a file photo from last December, says he'd like to be an Edmonton Oiler. (AL CHAREST/QMI file) |
Taylor Hall is getting accustomed to the media attention.
It's a good thing too, because the Windsor Spitfires winger has been getting
a lot of it all season, and it’s only going to intensify as the NHL draft
approaches.
On Tuesday, Hall was front and centre as the NHL draft lottery took place to
determine who gets first pick this summer in Los Angeles.
The Edmonton Oilers won the right to select first, followed by the Boston
Bruins. With Hall touted to be one of the top two picks in the draft this
year, he’s expected to go to one of those teams.
"I hope Edmonton picks me, it would be a great
place to play,” Hall said Tuesday.
The Kingston, Ont., native said he's grown comfortable in his role as a top prospect.
“I think last year was a good primer for me seeing what the media attention
was like, and this year, I thought I handled it pretty well,” Hall said.
“I don’t mind doing interviews, it’s just part of the job and that comes with
the territory of being a good hockey player. I don’t mind it at all.”
Ranked as the No. 1 prospect for most of the year, Hall can’t focus all of
his attention on the draft just yet. He currently has his eyes on an Ontario Hockey League title and perhaps a Memorial Cup
crown as the Spitfires have a third-round series against the Kitchener
Rangers starting Thursday.
Regardless, it was good for Hall to get the draft lottery out of the way
which takes him one step closer to his goal of playing in the NHL.
“It’s good knowing where teams pick and where they stand,” Hall said. “I’m
sure I’ll get to visit with some of them now and they can get to know me as
a person.”
Hall, 18, finished the regular season with 106 points, scoring 40 goals and
adding 66 assists in 57 games. He also claimed silver with Team Canada at
the World Junior Championships in January. He currently has nine goals and
seven assists in eight playoff games as the Spitfires swept through their
first two playoff series, which included a victory over Tyler Seguin’s
Plymouth Whalers.
“Draft day is going to be an exciting day,” Hall said. “The draft lottery
was an interesting experience."
