Taylor Hall?s expensive mistake

You may or may not believe that Edmonton Oilers super-rookie Taylor Hall deserves criticism for acting like all of his 19 years of age in choosing to fight with Columbus Blue Jackets forward Derek Dorsett, inadvertently ending his 2010-2011 campaign thanks to a severely sprained ankle, and while the Hockey News?s Ken Campbell?s no fan of Hall?s decision-making process, he also offers a financial bottom line as to how much Hall?s fight cost him in terms of potential rookie bonuses:

Hall has already earned $1.215 million of the possible $3.75 million he stood to make in salary and performance bonuses in the first year of his entry level deal with the Oilers. But there?s a good chance the injury he suffered in the fight with Dorsett will cost him more than $200,000 and might have ultimately cost him more than $600,000.

Here?s why. Hall earns $212,500 in bonus money if he is named to the all-rookie team this season. You?d have to think Jeff Skinner of the Carolina Hurricanes and Logan Couture of the San Jose Sharks have two of the three forward spots locked down, unless of course either one of them is stupid enough to get involved in an ill-advised fight with a far more experienced player. That likely leaves the last spot to one of Hall, Michael Grabner of the New York Islanders, Derek Stepan of the New York Rangers, Tyler Ennis of the Buffalo Sabres, Brad Marchand of the Boston Bruins, Bryan Bickell of the Chicago Blackhawks and Oilers teammate Jordan Eberle. While Hall sits out the final 17 games and watches all those players pass him in the NHL?s scoring race, the chances of Hall getting that spot will get slimmer.

Hall also had an outside shot of scoring 60 points this season and averaging 0.73 points per game, each of which would have earned him another $212,500. It would have required 18 points in 17 games, but with Dustin Penner traded and Ales Hemsky injured, Hall would have been the Oilers undisputed go-to offensive player and would have undoubtedly filled more minutes at even strength and on the power play. Had he really gone nuts and scored 13 goals, that would have represented another $212,500. It?s unlikely he would have done it, but thanks to his injury we?ll never know.

Continued, and I do agree with Campbell on one point: there?s something to be said for the fact that so many unnecessary injuries are caused these days because players either refuse to let up when their opponents are in vulnerable positions, or because players refuse to take hit, take a punch or listen to a taunt and simply skate away, taking a number instead of committing penalties and otherwise getting themselves hurt in the process of exacting revenge for any slight.

Source: http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/hockey/comments/taylor_halls_expensive_mistake/

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