Hal Gill played 23 regular season games for the Nashville Predators after being traded from Montreal, but GM David Poile picked him up for the postseason. (Gill is one of the more experienced blueliners when it comes to the playoffs.) Unfortunately for Nashville, he won’t be able to serve his intended purpose just yet, as Joshua Cooper reports that he wasn’t around for the pre-game skate.
During his worst moments, Gill has been referred to as a “pylon.” Those lesser times seem more frequent during the regular season, however, as looser officiating in the playoffs often allows the big defenseman to equalize offensive opponents. He was a helpful part of a nice shutdown pair alongside Rob Scuderi in Pittsburgh during its 2009 Stanley Cup run and then helped the Canadiens beat the Penguins in their quest to the Eastern Conference finals in 2010.
Gill is dealing with a lower-body injury.