Taylor Hall Will Not Attend World Championships

Though he was asked, Taylor Hall has declined an invitation to compete in the upcoming World Championships according to Mike Morreale of NHL.com. Team Canada would have loved to bring the MVP candidate aboard, but after a long season and disappointing playoff exit Hall will take some time off before starting to train for next year.

Hall has always been an excellent players, going back to his first-overall selection in 2010, but he found a new gear this season playing for the New Jersey Devils. With 93 points in 76 games he set a career-high in basically every offensive category, including goals, assists, plus/minus and takeaways. He added six points in the first five playoff games of his career, proving he could perform on the biggest stage. Unfortunately the Devils ran into a powerhouse Tampa Bay team and were eliminated, but still took huge steps forward this season.

On one of the most affordable contracts in the league—$6MM for each of the next two seasons—Hall will concentrate on helping the Devils take another step next season. It’s not like he hasn’t represented Canada in the past, playing in three World Championships and taking home two gold medals.