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Taylor Hall has some complaints about life in the minors

Taylor Hall

Edmonton Oilers’ Taylor Hall waits during a stoppage in play against the Vancouver Canucks during the first period of an NHL hockey game in Vancouver, British Columbia, on Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2012. (AP Photo/The Canadian Press, Darryl Dyck)

AP

For many young NHL players, they’re fortunate they get to still play hockey while the league locks out the players. While playing in the AHL may not be optimal for many guys, it’s something, right?

For Edmonton’s Taylor Hall, playing for the Oklahoma City Barons is an experience he totally wasn’t ready for as he tells Robert Tychkowski of the Edmonton Sun.

“There’s not a lot of fans in Oklahoma,” sighed Hall, who played to 2,064 in his first game back.

“And in San Antonio we were pretty much playing on cement, the ice was so bad. Now, we get to come to Canada and be in front of a crowd that really does care about hockey.

“There’s a lot you miss about the NHL, but being in front of the fans and scoring a big goal is definitely a good feeling.”

Don’t go thinking Hall is totally against playing in the minors. He says he’s thankful to be skating with his teammates, but it’s an adjustment, especially the long bus rides.

Still, you wonder if Hall will hear it from the fans who are showing up to watch them play.