One season among the game's elite isn't going to cut it for reigning Hart Trophy winner Taylor Hall.
The New Jersey Devils winger broke out in a big way in 2017-18, establishing new career-highs across the board with 93 points in 76 games. His efforts were enough to clinch the club's first playoff appearance since 2012 before he was named the NHL's most valuable player in June.
As he enters a new campaign, however, Hall isn't resting on the laurels of his banner season.
"I’ve kind of included myself in a tier of players now and I want to stay there," Hall told The Athletic's Scott Burnside. "You see the guys who do it season after season, every season, you know the Crosbys, the Malkins, the Benns, they’re just there every year. So now that I’ve kind of included myself there I want to stay there so I just tried to prepare myself as best as possible."
Hall was every bit as valuable as each of the players he listed last season. He won the team's scoring race by a whopping 41 points, and went on a historic 26-game point streak from January to March.
Now, it's about finding a way to be that same player year after year.
"We had a lot of a success as a team. For me, I found that I took my game to another level," Hall told Under Armour at a recent photo shoot. "As an athlete, when you accomplish that much in one season you want to make sure you come back the next and play the same way. So it was definitely an exciting feeling, but also huge motivation for the upcoming season."
As for how Hall plans on maintaining his excellence into 2018-19, the 26-year-old will rely on a skill-based offseason training regimen that helped spark his breakout showing a season ago.
"In previous years, I would take 2 to 3 months off the ice and let my body relax," Hall said. "This past summer, I made a commitment to skate, play hockey and work on my skills all summer long, and I think that’s what really made the difference for me this season."
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