Devils' Hall switches to No. 9, looking forward to new chapter
No. 4, no more.
Taylor Hall, acquired by the New Jersey Devils in a blockbuster trade that sent Adam Larsson to the Edmonton Oilers, is ready to switch things up, opting to wear No. 9 when his career in Newark begins next season.
The Devils equipment manager, Rich Matthews, tweeted a video Wednesday morning unveiling Hall's new digs.
Stitched a Taylor Made jersey for @Hallsy04! Here's the new number he'll debut in Jersey… pic.twitter.com/GfHnBCt4SG
— Rich Matthews (@NJDSk8Guy) July 13, 2016
Wearing No. 4 in New Jersey wasn't an option for Hall, as the number is retired within the organization, honoring Hall of Fame defenseman and former team captain Scott Stevens.
However, Hall was after something new anyway.
"Obviously. the number four was retired here," Hall told Julie Robenhymer of Devils.NHL.com. "But even if it wasn't retired, I'm not sure that I would have kept the number four. In choosing number nine, I'm looking for a fresh start."
The annals of NHL history has a long list of legendary No. 9s - Gordie Howe, Maurice Richard, and Mike Modano to name a few - which played a role in Hall's decision.
"There have been a lot of great players that have worn the number nine and I want to add to that list," Hall said. "I think in sports you can get too caught up in trying to prove people wrong or that you deserve something and it ends up taking away from the player that you are. I'm not trying to change anything in that way, but I'm looking forward to a fresh start and an exciting opportunity in New Jersey."