Oilers seal deal with Taylor Hall

EDMONTON — There wasn't much wiggle room for the Edmonton Oilers when it came to working out a contract with Taylor Hall.

That bar was set when the New York Islanders signed John Tavares, the top pick in the 2008 draft class, to the league maximum.

In 2008, No. 1 draft pick Steve Stamkos got top dollar from the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Rather than prolong the proceedings, the Oilers asked Hall to put pen to paper.

"Now it's time to work. All the excitement is over," the Oilers prize pick said on Monday after he had signed his three-year entry-level contract.

"I'm officially under contract and I have to fulfill my part. I'm excited to get started tomorrow."

Hall gets a base of $900,000, the maximum annual salary for entry level players. However, if he hits all the targets on all the performance bonuses written into his contract, he could collect as much as $3.75 million.

"I know this signing is only the first step. I haven't done anything yet," continued the 18-year-old winger, who will be on the ice today when the Oilers' annual development camp begins.

"I'm not even on the team yet. That's all I'm looking forward to now, is to make the team. If I do, then I'll set some big goals for myself."

It has been non-stop for Hall, who went from the Memorial Cup to the NHL combine to a tour with potential NHL suitors -- all before he headed to the draft.

Now, he is anxious to start preparing for the main training camp in the fall, and just as anxious to start meeting some of his potential teammates.

He got a call from Oilers veteran Shawn Horcoff following the draft, but it wasn't until Monday that he was able to sit in a stall in the locker-room to try to take it all in.

"It's tough for the first pick overall. You don't know anyone on the team yet you're coming in as such a high-touted player," Hall said. "I'm just going to try and fit in. Be humble, and be ready.

"This is a big step. It just shows I have this part out of the way and that I can get focused on hockey. I want to make a big impact at training camp.

"To be honest, it's been pretty hectic," he added. "Eventually, I'm going to have to get back to training really hard and to just try and get away from the game as much as I can."

For the Windsor Spitfires junior star, preparing for the rigours of an NHL schedule means getting stronger. He also needs to fit in some down time when he gets back to the family home in Kingston, Ont.

"The quicker you can take care of business, the quicker he can focus on the things that are important to him. He needs time to get back home, settle down and get focused on training so that he's fresh coming to camp (in September)," said general manager Steve Tambellini.

"I can't imagine the expectations of the first overall pick -- not just in Edmonton but across Canada and in the National Hockey League. I just wanted to make sure we took care of business before he went home."

The Oilers have never previously had the top selection in the draft. In the end, Hall won over the decision-makers, edging out Tyler Seguin on June 25.

Hall was the key to the Spitfires winning back-to-back Memorial Cups -- taking home the tournament's most valuable player award on both occasions. Through the regular season, he led the Spitfires with 40 goals and 66 assists.

Seguin went to the Boston Bruins, who had the second pick.

"This is probably the quickest contract to get done. It was pretty straightforward," said Tambellini.

"We still have a lot of work to do but I do know that when we are a team, an organization that has a chance to win, this young man is going to be here with us."

jireland@thejournal.canwest.com

© Copyright (c) The Edmonton Journal