LeBrun: Calgary Flames blueliner Noah Hanifin ‘likely headed for a trade’
By Ryan Pike
1 year agoThe Calgary Flames have some work to do this off-season, as they attempt to avoid seeing seven prominent roster members hit unrestricted free agency in the 2024 off-season. One of the most prominent players in that category is defenceman Noah Hanifin.
Over at The Athletic, Pierre LeBrun has noted in his Friday “Rumblings” column that it sure does seem like Hanifin is going to be traded.
Here’s LeBrun:
All signs point to defenseman Noah Hanifin not wanting to extend with the Flames, so that situation is likely headed for a trade. He’s got one year left on his deal at a $4.95 million AAV. Obviously, new Flames GM Craig Conroy is juggling a lot with Elias Lindholm, Mikael Backlund and Tyler Toffoli among other players entering the last year of their deals and the Flames needing answers.
(For the curious: the Magnificent Seven 2024 pending free agents are Hanifin, Lindholm, Backlund, Toffoli, Chris Tanev, Nikita Zadorov and Oliver Kylington.)
On Wednesday, Flames Talk’s Pat Steinberg updated Hanifin’s status and used the terms “uncertain” and “on the fence.”
The 26-year-old Hanifin joined the Flames in a swap with Carolina at the 2018 NHL Draft that also saw Elias Lindholm come to Calgary. Since arriving, Hanifin has been a fixture in the Flames’ lineup and a constant presence on the ice in virtually every high-leverage situation.
Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman termed it nicely last week: Hanifin’s been good for the Flames and the Flames have been good for Hanifin. Both sides really got what they needed from this transaction.
In the event Hanifin does become available for a trade, and it sure seems to be looking that way, given the lack of strong free agent blueliners this summer aside from Dmitri Orlov… the Flames could get something pretty good for him.
We’ll have more on this story as it develops.
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