Blue Line
Hall Pass
By Bob Grove

The salary cap era in the National Hockey League has created new realities for management and players alike, and that really hit home for the Penguins' Adam Hall this off-season.

The 27-year-old forward has been a durable and productive checker in the NHL over the past four seasons, capable of killing penalties, winning faceoffs and chipping in his share of goals. But when his $975,000 contract with the Minnesota Wild expired July 1, the unrestricted free agent wasn't exactly thrust into a seller's market.

"This summer was weird, a new situation for a lot of players," he said. "There were a lot of players scratching their heads, free agents, because there seemed to be a lot more guys looking for jobs than there were jobs available. You knew the budgets on a lot of teams, with the salary cap, and that mentality is starting to come into play. It was an adjustment."

As late August rolled around, Hall was without a contract. This summer the big money was still flowing to the big-name talents, while players at the bottom end of the salary scale were signing for similar money and those in the middle were squeezed toward the bottom.

"It was certainly no fun sitting around waiting," he said.

Enter Pittsburgh general manager Ray Shero. Shero was the assistant GM in Nashville when Hall, drafted by the Predators in 1999, had his best NHL seasons under coach Barry Trotz. The 6-3, 210-pound Hall averaged 14 goals over his first three NHL seasons in Nashville, was a physical force along the boards and wasn't easy to play against.

Shero offered Hall a tryout contract, and Hall came to camp and turned it into a one-year deal worth $525,000. Trying to play his way onto an NHL roster was like a trip back in time for the former Michigan State star, a Kalamazoo native who led the CCHA with 26 goals as a sophomore.

"You got that little bit of excitement in your stomach every day when you went to the rink. It's a little bit nerve-wracking because that (making the team) is in the back of your mind," said Hall, who was traded from Nashville to the New York Rangers in the summer of 2006 and then dealt to Minnesota last February. "But at same time, you realize it's an exciting challenge and it's going to be fun to be out there."

The opening weeks of the season were even more fun, as Hall demonstrated his versatility and ability. He got into the lineup in the second game as the fourth line left wing, then moved to right wing on that line - his natural position - when George Laraque was injured and scored a goal in the Penguins' 4-3 victory over Carolina Oct. 19. The next day, he centered the fourth line when Erik Christensen was scratched at Washington.

He's already become a popular option to take faceoffs in the right circle, as he won 57.1 percent of his draws through his first six games.

"I couldn't be happier to be here. You look around this team, so many talented guys, but also such fun guys to be around," he said. "Those two don't always go together."