“Here’s Taylor Hall breaking in. Hall scores! Taylor Hall, and it is 1-0, Carolina!”
With his head up, Hall’s wrist shot beat Vegas Golden Knights goaltender Carter Hart a little over three minutes after the puck dropped, signaling the start of Game 6. It marked the 34-year-old’s seventh goal of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
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He, along with his Carolina Hurricanes’ linemates Logan Stankoven and Jackson Blake, were one of the Hurricanes’ strongest lines in the postseason, combining for 55 points.
At 10:57 p.m. Eastern Time, the final horn sounded at T-Mobile Arena, and Hall threw his gloves, stick, and helmet in the air as he and his teammates swarmed their goaltender, Brandon Bussi, behind his net.
The Hurricanes defeated the Golden Knights, 3-0, clinching their second Stanley Cup in their history.
And Taylor Hall became a Stanley Cup champion.
“It is incredible,” he told ESPN’s Emily Kaplan. “I have been kind of everywhere and got here (to Carolina) and felt really at home within a couple days. I think that is a credit to (Rod Brind’Amour) and the coaching staff, and to the guys who have been here for seven or eight years and have really put in the work to make this a special place to play. I am so happy for them. I am just ecstatic. This is an amazing group to do it with. I couldn’t have asked for anything more.”
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Drafted first overall in 2010 by the Edmonton Oilers, Hall went on to play for the New Jersey Devils, Arizona Coyotes, Buffalo Sabres, Boston Bruins, and Chicago Blackhawks before landing in Carolina.
“You never know what kind of turn your life is going to take,” Hall continued. “I got fortunate coming here. Like I said, special group to do it with, and they allowed me just to come in and have success, and that says a lot.”
During his three and a half season stint with the Devils, Hall captured the Hart Memorial Trophy in 2018, given “to the player adjudged to be the most valuable to his team.”
At 34, Hall played 1,062 games before celebrating his first Cup win. Per NHLPr, he had the second-most contests by a number one pick before his first championship behind Washington Capitals’ captain Alex Ovechkin, with both players clinching their title against the Golden Knights in Vegas.
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“I love the game, man,” Hall said. “I will keep doing this as long as I can. The Stanley Cup was the ultimate goal, but just playing hockey and being around my buddies doing it is incredible.”
Hall earned votes for the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP for their all-around role in helping the team win the Stanley Cup. He finished second behind Hurricanes’ captain Jordan Staal.
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