Pacific Notes: Hall, Edler, Sutter, Sharks

Taylor Hall hasn’t been with the Coyotes for long but already, there has been plenty of speculation as to whether or not the winger would be open to signing an extension with the team.  GM John Chayka indicated following the trade that they wouldn’t initiate discussions until after the season and Hall’s agent Darren Ferris confirmed to Craig Morgan of The Athletic (subscription required) that he and his client are of the same mindset when it comes to holding off on negotiations.  Ferris did indicate that a new deal in the desert is definitely an option and suggested that making the move gives the Coyotes an opportunity they likely wouldn’t have otherwise had; inferring they wouldn’t have garnered much consideration on the open market next summer.

Elsewhere in the Pacific Division:

• The Canucks are getting closer to welcoming one veteran back while another is injured again. Postmedia’s Patrick Johnston reports that defenseman Alex Edler could return before the Christmas break, giving their back end one of their top players back.  He has been out since sustaining an upper-body injury back on November 30th.  However, after returning this week, center Brandon Sutter is banged up once again though head coach Travis Green stated that the issue is unrelated to the groin injury that had him on LTIR.
• Sharks winger Kevin Labanc is dealing with an upper-body injury that could cause him to miss both games this weekend, notes Curtis Pashelka of The Mercury News. The injury was sustained on Tuesday against Arizona and while he came back for a couple of shifts, he was eventually shut down for the rest of the game.  His absence should create an opportunity for the recently-claimed Stefan Noesen to enter the lineup.  Pashelka adds that defenseman Mario Ferraro is also listed as day-to-day with an upper-body issue.