Boston's Cam Neely Could Be Next On The Hot Seat

Former Boston Bruins forward Taylor Hall is one of the NHL's top trade candidates as we slowly get closer to the deadline. With the Chicago Blackhawks being at the bottom of the NHL standings and Hall in the final year of his deal, he is standing out as a prime rental candidate.

Due to this, Hall was one of the trade candidates discussed in NHL insiders Pierre LeBrun and Chris Johnston's latest trade matchmaker series for The Athletic. LeBrun matched Hall with the Utah Hockey Club, while Johnston predicted that the 2010 first-overall pick would be dealt to the Colorado Avalanche.

Utah is an interesting pick from LeBrun. At this point of the season, the Central Division club has a 16-13-6 record and is battling for a wild card spot. They are undoubtedly a young team on the rise, so bringing in a veteran like Hall for their middle six could benefit them. This is especially so if they stay in the playoff hunt near the deadline, as LeBrun notes.

Hall could work beautifully on Utah's second line with Logan Cooley and Dylan Guenther. That trio could be lethal if used on a line together, as they each have high skillsets.

There is no question that the Avalanche could use another skilled winger, so it is also easy to understand why Johnston views them as a possible fit for Hall. He would have the potential to provide them with some much-needed secondary scoring and another option for their power play.

When looking at the Avalanche's lineup, Hall could be a solid option for their second line with Casey Mittelstadt and Mikko Rantanen.

From here, it will be fascinating to see what happens with Hall this season. With the Bruins needing help in their top six, perhaps they should consider trying to reunite with the veteran.

Ex-Bruins Star Linked To 2 Teams By Insiders