Connor Hall eyeing pro return; Junior career over

Connor Hall is done.

Junior hockey, anyway. The pro-dream remains.

The Kitchener Rangers' defenceman joined The Farwell and Pope Podcast to discuss his injuries and operations.

“Two weeks post-second-surgery. It went smoothly,” said Hall, of his timeline after already undergoing surgery on both shoulders in years prior. “First surgery, they just repaired the labrum, which keeps popping out, when I dislocate. [The doctor] said, genetically, the first surgery on each shoulder didn't help me at all. So, I could have just played.”

Hall, first suffered an injury to his left shoulder in the 2016-2017 season, the year after he was taken in the third-round by the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The following year, he hurt his other shoulder during a Kitchener playoff run, essentially breaking the heart of not only Hall, and family, but Rangers Nation.

“At one end of the stick, I have my family. They feel for me and hate seeing me go through this. Grandparents; they're like, ‘Why do you still play?’,” said Hall, of his first thoughts after an injury.

“I have the hockey world that’s like, ‘Do rehab and you'll be ready to go.’ It’s more just an emotional thing. I'm like, ‘Again? You have to be kidding me. Why me? Why does this keep happening to me?”

It seems it won't be happening again though, thanks to a doctor in London. After surgery on each shoulder in years prior, it was time to fix him once and for all, with surgery on each shoulder. The most recent, and final, came on the left shoulder on January 9th.

“Going through one shoulder surgery was the toughest thing in the world. I didn't think I'd be where I am today; surgery-wise,” said Hall. “This time around, he moved a bone in my shoulder to the end of the labrum, so my shoulder won't be able to pop out.”

“[The Doctor] said he's done a couple a year. Not a lot of hockey players do it, but he's never had a problem with any other athlete after the fact.”

LISTEN TO THE WHOLE INTERVIEW:

Looking beyond the present is something Hall has seemed to adapt. Despite his Junior career being over, his professional aspirations haven't faded.

He's ready for the recovery process and knows he still has something to offer, not only to the Penguins who thought highly enough of him to trade up in the third-round to nab him, but any professional organizations.

If you've ever doubted his resiliency take a look at his answer to whether he ever thought about hanging up his skates and not coming back for his overage season.

“No,” said the Cambridge native. “I was very eager to bring my presence back. I don't want to play, unless I'm playing my style. That's no fun. I don't want to go out there and not talk to guys, or not fight or not be gritty, or not get in people’s grills. I wouldn't be able to do that.”

It’s that style of play that was so attractive to NH teams and he’s hoping he can showcase it again.

“My goal is to obviously go pro,” said Hall during the Farwell and Pope Broadcast. “It's tough for NH teams to look at me right now and think, 'Lets invest in this guy,' because I haven't played a full season in the three years. That's a red flag. Even I know that. Looking at when I'm playing, I think I have the calibre to go Pro. It’s not the fact of me not being a good hockey player, it’s a fact of me not being able to play a lot.

“If I get my body into good enough shape to play at that pro-level, I just need a shot somewhere.”

story by Chris Pope