The New Jersey Devils are eager to lock up their franchise player.

Taylor Hall is scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2020, but Devils general manager Ray Shero plans to begin extension talks with the reigning Hart Trophy winner once this season concludes.

"He's been something for our franchise that we really haven't had in a long time ... At the end of the day, we still have another year left," Shero said on Wednesday's edition of the NHL's "Executive Suite" podcast. "But the intention is to sit down somewhere after the season, well before July 1."

The Devils can officially sign Hall to a contract extension from July 1 onward. He's due for a sizable raise from his current $6-million cap hit.

"It's not like, 'Hey, here's the contract, sign it up,'" Shero continued. "If we're getting into some longer term with a free agent, well OK, what are you selling, what are we doing? So they need to know that and I want to know that from their standpoint.

"I think the respect and relationship both ways has been really good and he's an important player for our franchise, certainly. So that will be the hope sitting down ... something that can work for both of us longer term and if that's meant to be."

Hall has been out of the Devils' lineup since December and underwent knee surgery in February. The 27-year-old winger racked up 37 points in 33 games before he went down.

New Jersey snapped a five-year playoff drought last season on the strength of Hall's 93-point campaign. He had 41 more points than his team's second-leading scorer, Nico Hischier.

The Devils have clearly missed their star player this season; they currently sit fourth-last in the NHL.

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Mike Trout got paid.

The Los Angeles Angels signed the superstar outfielder to a 10-year contract extension that kicks in after the 2020 season. Folded into the remaining two years of his present deal, Trout is set to earn $426.5 million overall.

But how does it compare to the biggest contracts in sports? Here, we take a look at the biggest deals to ever be signed across various leagues and promotions.

Note: The financial figures below are all reported deals. The ranking is determined by total value of contract and not by annual average.

Association Football: Neymar, Paris Saint-Germain ($600+ million)

In 2017, Neymar left Barcelona for Paris and became €500 million richer in the process. That incredible deal includes bonuses over a five-year period with the club. Not only that, but Paris Saint-Germain paid a record €222-million transfer fee to his former team.

Soccer has a slew of oversized contracts that rival, and exceed, the exorbitant deals signed throughout Major League Baseball. Lionel Messi is earning approximately $35.8 million per season with Barcelona, according to USA TODAY Sports, while Cristiano Ronaldo is banking $35.2 million every year with Juventus over his four-year contract.

MLB: Trout, Angels ($426.5 million)

No North American contract compares in terms of sheer volume. Few star athletes eclipse even the $300-million plateau, and Trout is getting more than $100 million on top of that. The deal he signed on Tuesday has him making $36 million annually starting in 2021 and is the most lucrative in baseball history. The pact will keep him in California through the 2030 season, which could be the rest of his career.

Harper is a distant second in MLB at $330 million with Giancarlo Stanton ($325 million) and Manny Machado ($300 million) close behind.

Boxing: Canelo Alvarez ($365 million)

Before Trout's contract shook the sports world, the largest contract belonged to Alvarez. He inked a five-year, 11-fight contract with DAZN worth $365 million in 2018. On an annual scale, his deal still dwarfs everyone else as Alvarez is paid $73 million per year through 2023.

NBA: James Harden, Rockets ($228 million)

In July 2017, Harden became basketball's most affluent player when he inked a four-year extension with the Houston Rockets. His $160-million deal folded into the remaining two years of his previous contract made the entire agreement worth a whopping $228 million.

Harden's contract came about a week after Stephen Curry signed a five-year, $201-million extension with the Golden State Warriors. Oklahoma City Thunder point guard Russell Westbrook has Curry beat, earning $205 million over a five-year period through 2023. They may not match Trout's total, but their annual salaries are at another level.

NFL: Matt Ryan, Falcons ($150 million)

Ryan became the NFL's highest-paid player last year when he signed a five-year, $150-million extension. Unlike other leagues, that total isn't fully guaranteed over the life of the deal, but it's still the largest number put to paper for a gridiron athlete. Despite this, the contract reportedly includes $100 million guaranteed, which is also a league record.

Continuing the trend of usurping the previous money king in short succession, Ryan took the mantle from Minnesota Vikings quarterback Kirk Cousins less than two months after his record-setting contract.

NHL: Alex Ovechkin, Capitals ($124 million)

Ovechkin's 13-year contract is a bit unique as eight-year deals now represent the longest available to a player under the current CBA. With a salary cap in place, it may be a while before someone comes close to challenging Ovie's title.

In terms of yearly earnings, however, several players have inked more lucrative deals. Edmonton Oilers center Connor McDavid ($12.5 million), Toronto Maple Leafs forward Auston Matthews ($11.6 million), and Los Angeles Kings defenseman Drew Doughty ($11 million) are among the players who earn more annually, according to Spotrac.

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Brad Marchand came to the defense of teammate Torey Krug via Twitter on Thursday after NBC Sports writer Joe Haggerty suggested the Boston Bruins may be a better team without the blue-liner in the lineup.

Krug has missed 14 games due to injury this season, including the last three. The Bruins are 8-4-2 without him in the lineup.

The 27-year-old's 48 points lead all Bruins defensemen and rank fifth overall on the team. He's been the league's sixth-best blue-liner so far this year, according to Corsica's player ratings.

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The NHL will have regular-season action overseas for a third straight season, the league announced Thursday.

Stockholm, Sweden's Ericsson Globe arena will play host to the Buffalo Sabres and Tampa Bay Lightning for a pair of games on Nov. 8 and Nov. 9, offering Swedish fans an opportunity to see two of the country's star defensemen - Victor Hedman and Rasmus Dahlin - in meaningful NHL action.

The Chicago Blackhawks and Philadelphia Flyers will play their 2019-20 season opener against each other in Prague, Czech Republic on Oct. 4 at O2 Arena. The contest will mark a homecoming for Jakub Voracek and Radko Gudas of the Flyers and David Kampf of the Blackhawks.

Chicago will also complete their training camp in Germany and face Eisbären Berlin in an exhibition match on Sept. 29. Meanwhile, the Flyers will finish off training camp in Switzerland and play an exhibition game against Lausanne HC on Sept. 30.

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The Detroit Red Wings signed goaltender Jimmy Howard to a one-year contract extension, the team announced Wednesday.

Howard's deal comes with a $5.1-million average annual value, but $1.1 million is based on playoff bonuses, according to TSN's Bob McKenzie. If the Red Wings don't make the playoffs next season, Howard would receive no bonus and only get his $4-million salary, McKenzie adds.

The veteran goalie, who will turn 35 next week, has spent his entire career in the Motor City. He owns a .908 save percentage and a 3.05 goals-against average in 48 games this season.

Howard was set to hit the open market this summer and would've been a part of a free-agent goaltending class headlined by Sergei Bobrovsky, Robin Lehner, and Semyon Varlamov.

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Is it possible to be the best and worst at something?

According to the 2018-19 NHLPA Player Poll, the answer is yes. Boston Bruins super-pest Brad Marchand - one of the NHL's most polarizing players - was voted as both the league's best and worst trash-talker.

Here are the results for best trash-talker, based on 272 votes:

The results for worst trash-talker - based on 256 votes - were a bit tighter:

Everyone knows Marchand likes to chirp on the ice, but apparently his tactics aren't for everyone. The same can be said for Arizona Coyotes forward Nick Cousins, who also surfaced on both polls.

Marchand was clearly pleased with the results.

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