Hall intends to 'come back hungry' after missing most of 2023-24 season

Veteran forward Taylor Hall is champing at the bit to return to the ice after missing the majority of the 2023-24 season with injuries.

"I'm really confident I'll be a solid contributor for the Blackhawks this year," he told the Chicago Sun-Times' Ben Pope. "What makes me say that is the hockey I've played and the preparation I've done this summer. ... I know I can be a difference-maker for our team."

Hall, 32, appeared in only 10 games last season after Chicago acquired him from the Boston Bruins in June 2023.

He missed one contest due to a shoulder injury he suffered in the second game of the season before sitting out three more after aggravating it a week later. Hall then injured his knee in early November. Although he played in two more contests, Hall soon underwent ACL surgery and was ruled out for the remainder of the campaign.

"I feel like that year off allowed me to be more mentally fresh, and hopefully I can use that this coming season," Hall said. "Not a lot of players get three-quarters of a year off after playing 14 seasons, so I intend to come back hungry."

Hall largely focused on his shooting during his lengthy recovery process. He's hoping to flirt with his second career 30-goal season.

"I would love to score a few more goals this year than in the past," he said. "I'm usually good for 20 every year, but to get up near 30, that would be a lot of fun for me at this age.

"That's a little bit of a goal of mine - to not only shoot the puck more, but (also) to get in better spots where I'm taking one-timers more, shooting off the pass more, and just adding that back into my game."

Hall last hit the 20-goal mark in 2021-22.

Most of Chicago's offensive responsibilities this past season fell to Bedard, who led the Blackhawks with 61 points in 68 games despite missing time with a broken jaw.

Along with getting Hall back within their ranks, the Blackhawks also added the likes of Tyler Bertuzzi, Pat Maroon, Teuvo Teravainen, and Ilya Mikheyev.

Hall can become an unrestricted free agent next summer. He's the highest-paid forward on Chicago's roster with a cap hit of $6 million.