Taylor Hall Returns After Missing Seven Games

According to Dan Tencer of 630 CHED, Hall will play tonight for the first time since November 26th. For the team’s full lines, click here.

UPDATE 12/7/11: Just a day after getting hurt, Taylor Hall was back on the ice. That’s the type of player he is; he eats, sleeps and breathes hockey. Keeping that in mind, imagine how he felt after participating in his first practice since the injury earlier today.  According to Dan Tencer of 630 CHED, via Twitter, Hall won’t play tonight. However, he should be able to suit up over the next week.

* * *

UPDATE 11/29/11: During Saturday night’s tilt where the Colorado Avalanche hosted the Edmonton Oilers, the away team lost more than the game. Left wing Taylor Hall left the game with an apparent shoulder injury, and while he returned to the game almost immediately, he left just as quickly.

Following the game we awaited MRI results, which were only released two days later following Monday night’s 2-1 loss to the Nashville Predators. According to the team’s official Twitter account, Hall will miss between two and four weeks with an apparent shoulder injury. He will not require surgery for the apparent injury but will need to rest his shoulder.

“I can’t change how I play, it’s how I was born,” Hall later explained. Despite playing a heady game, Hall will not be deterred from entering the dirty areas and taking a hit to make the play. As observers we admire that. As fantasy hockey owners we can only cringe and cross our fingers it doesn’t make him injury prone.

Playing in their first game without Hall, the Oilers placed struggling sophomore Magnus Paajarvi on the second line. In addition, they moved Ryan Smyth up to the top power play unit with Ryan Jones slotting into the second line. For the team’s full line combinations, click here.