What could a Noah Hanifin trade look like for the Calgary Flames?

It is looking more likely than not that Noah Hanifin is going to be traded this off-season. Elliotte Friedman, Pierre LeBrun, and Pat Steinberg have all indicated that it is looking like Hanifin’s time with the Calgary Flames might be coming to a close.

 

With that in mind, let’s have some fun and put together some Hanifin trade proposals.

This is an important question that needs to be answered before we jump into trade proposals.

Hanifin is going to be a highly coveted player. There is a lot to like about him and his game. He is 26 years old which puts him in the middle of his prime. He is 6’3″, 207 pounds (we all know how much NHL teams value size on the back end). He is a high-end skater and puck mover. And off the ice he is a high character person who is respected by his teammates.

On top of his physical tools, he is on a great contract for next season which is important in a flat cap world. He has one year left on his deal with a cap hit of $4.95 million.

The market for available defenceman via trade or free agency is weak compared to years past. Hanifin might be the best defenceman available this summer.

It’s clear that the Flames should be able to get a significant return for Hanifin’s services.

Here are some recent trades involving top four defencemen around the NHL.

 

 

 

 

Let’s come up with some trade proposals now that we know Hanifin’s value and some comparable deals from the past.

To Buffalo: Noah Hanifin

To Calgary: 2023 First-Round Pick (13th overall), 2023 Second-Round Pick (39th overall)

The Sabres are looking to take the next step in their evolution as a team. They have been rebuilding for over a decade and it looks like they are very close to becoming a playoff team.

One piece they are missing is a veteran, top four defenceman who can play with Owen Power or Rasmus Dahlin.

The Sabres have a ton of prospects in their system who are close to being ready for full time NHL duty which means that Buffalo might be open to dealing their 2023 first-round pick and second-round picks.

Calgary needs to get younger and replenish their prospect cupboard. Adding the 13th and 39th overall pick in a historically deep draft could go a long way in helping re-tool the Flames roster over the next few years.

To Detroit: Noah Hanifin

To Calgary: 2023 First-Round Pick (17th overall), 2023 Second-Round Pick (43rd overall)

Similar to Buffalo, the Red Wings are looking to take a step in the right direction and get back to being a playoff team. They have a stud defenceman in Moritz Seider, but outside of him there are not a lot of top four options on their back end. Hanifin would be a welcome addition to their blueline.

The Red Wings have two picks in the first round and three in the second. They can afford to trade a couple of those in a Hanifin deal. The Wings also have a ton of cap space which should make signing Hanifin a non issue.

Once again, Calgary needs to get younger and have an eye for the future. Acquiring a first and second-round pick makes sense for them. They could use those picks or they could trade them for help on the NHL roster.

To Vancouver: Noah Hanifin

To Calgary: 2023 First-Round Pick (11th overall), 2023 Third-Round Pick, 2023 Fourth-Round Pick, 2024 Fourth-Round Pick, Conor Garland (VAN retains $950K of his cap hit) & Nils Hoglander

The Vancouver Canucks ownership and management group are desperate to make the playoffs in the 2023-24 season. They just bought out Oliver Ekman-Larsson and they are doing everything in their power to unload the salaries of Garland, Brock Boeser, and Tyler Myers.

They showed that level of desperation in the 2021 off-season when they acquired Ekman Larsson and Garland in exchange for the ninth overall pick and bad contracts (Loui Eriksson, Jay Beagle, Anton Roussel).

I wonder if the Canucks are willing to make another move like that this off-season. They desperately need help on their defence. They will be looking to add a top four defender to play behind Quinn Hughes. Hanifin could be the perfect fit.

From a Flames perspective, they would acquire draft picks in exchange for taking on the contracts of Nils Hoglander and Conor Garland. And they would receive the 11th overall pick for Hanifin. The Flames get much needed draft capital as well as help on the roster to help keep them competitive in the short term.