Music: {allcanada} Oilers LW Hall to be out 2-to-4 weeks

Monday, November 28, 2011

{allcanada} Oilers LW Hall to be out 2-to-4 weeks

EDMONTON, Alberta (AP)—Oilers forward Taylor Hall (notes) will be out 2-to-4 weeks because of an injured left shoulder.

The Oilers made the announcement Monday night after a 2-1 home loss to the Nashville Predators. Hall had an MRI exam earlier Monday.

"I thought I was going to be out a shorter period of time, but two-to-four weeks isn't that bad," Hall said. "It's not like I am missing a huge chunk of games where it would then take me three or four games to get back into the swing of things. I want to get back into the swing of things as quickly as possible, obviously. I'll just try to rehab it as quickly as I can."

The 20-year-old Hall, in his second NHL season after being chosen No. 1 overall by Edmonton in the 2010 draft, was injured during a 5-2 loss to Colorado on Saturday after a crushing hit into the boards by Avalanche defenseman Ryan Wilson (notes).

Hall dropped his stick and immediately went to the bench for treatment. He came back for a couple of shifts, but seemed to aggravate the injury when he took an innocent-looking cross-check from Kyle Quincey (notes).

Hall played 65 games last season as a rookie but missed the rest of the season because of an ankle injury. He finished with 22 goals and 42 points.

"(Hall's) a good player," Oilers coach Tom Renney said. "We'll miss him, but someone else will pick up the slack and take advantage of the opportunity."

In 22 games this season, the left wing has seven goals and 18 points.

"You always want to be there for the guys, especially if they are losing. You want to be there and contribute," Hall said. "I felt like I was really starting to get my game together this season and it's tough when it ends like this. But I will get it strong and return for what is hopefully a good run in the regular season and a push for the playoffs."

Hall has been criticized for playing with something of a reckless abandon, but doesn't plan to alter his style.

"That was how I was born," he said. "With that hit, I probably should have been a bit closer to the boards to make sure that I don't get hit by him and the boards, just him. I'm not going to change how I play."