Oilers sign Taylor Hall to 3-year deal

Taylor Hall, the No. 1 pick in last month's NHL entry draft who was chosen by the Edmonton Oilers, was signed Monday to a three-year contract.

"It's an exciting day for me. Obviously signing an NHL contract is a big deal, and it's just the first step for me and the Oilers organization," Hall said at an news conference announcing the deal in Edmonton.

Under the contract, the 18-year-old will be paid a maximum base salary of $900,000 per season. Performance bonuses could boost his salary to more than $3 million a year.

The Oilers chose Hall, a left-winger with the Memorial Cup-winning Windsor Spitfires, at the June 25 NHL entry draft in Los Angeles.

Hall was accompanied at Monday's news conference by the Oilers' beaming general manager, Steve Tambellini.

"It's a huge moving-forward step again that allows us to have a chance to be a great team one day." Tambellini said.

Hall will be part of the Oilers' development camp this week.