The Florida Panthers are riding the wave in the Eastern Conference. They are tied with the Boston Bruins for first in the Atlantic Division with a record of 39-16-4 and 82 points, and the best point percentage in the NHL at .695. They trail the New York Rangers and the Vancouver Canucks for first in the league by one point.
Despite how electric the team has been this season, landing a big fish before the deadline is still on the table for general manager Bill Zito and company. While the defense has been great, allowing only 2.40 goals a game and 27.6 shots per game, the team is looking to make it even stronger. Multiple reports have linked the Cats to Calgary Flames defenseman Noah Hanifin. On paper, it makes a ton of sense to bring him into the fray, and with the Flames’ fire sale now started, this could happen.
Hanafin’s NHL Resume
The youngest player to ever suit up for Boston College was originally drafted fifth overall in 2015 by the Carolina Hurricanes. He spent three seasons with them, playing in 239 games and tallying 83 points (18 goals, 65 assists). In June 2018, the Hurricanes dealt him, along with Elias Lindholm, to the Flames in exchange for Dougie Hamilton, Michael Ferland, and the signing rights to Adam Fox. That same offseason, he signed a six-year deal worth $4.95 million annually, and now in its final season, he has a modified no-trade clause (M-NTC).
He’s been an excellent defenseman for the Flames. In 2021-22, he hit a new career high in points with 48 (10 goals, 38 assists) through 81 games. This season, he’s hit a new career high in goals with 11. In six seasons in Calgary, he has 48 goals, 138 assists and a plus-50 rating. However, the Flames want to get some value for his services before he hits the free agent market this offseason.
He Comes to a Place With Familiar Faces From the Flames
If he were acquired by the Panthers, he would be reunited with some of his former teammates in Calgary, including Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Bennett and Ryan Lomberg.
Related: Panthers Reuniting With Anthony Duclair Would Not Work
So, chemistry is already in place and could lead to a lot of success on the ice.
He Comes Into a Strong Defensive Scheme
Florida has solid defensive metrics with a low goals-against and shots-against average. In addition, they house the league leader in plus/minus – Gustav Forsling has a plus-39. Furthermore, they are the sixth-best team in the NHL on the penalty kill with an 82.5% kill rate.
If Hanifin was brought in, it would make that unit borderline unfair for the rest of the NHL, especially if he’s with players like Forsling, Aaron Ekblad and Brandon Montour.
How Can They Bring Hanifin In With Their Cap Situation?
The Panthers have a little over $5.7 million in cap space, meaning Hanafin’s contract worth $4.95 million would fit onto the payroll. But the team would still have to shed assets to make a deal happen.
Related: Panthers Extending Reinhart Would Create Salary Cap Casualties
Florida has some early-round draft capital over the next couple of years along with some expiring deals. Also, they have some extra depth on the roster that does not get used often. They could offer the Flames a second-round pick in next year’s draft while also packaging Spencer Knight or Nick Cousins to sweeten the deal. Ultimately, all signs point to Hanifin leaving Calgary, so the Panthers have most of the leverage in negotiations.
Will Zito Make it Happen?
Despite how good it sounds, we can’t know if this trade will happen. Zito has a history of dealing with the Flames, most notably in the trade that sent Jonathan Huberdeau and MacKenzie Weeger to them. So, they already have a relationship.
The team has a ton of expiring deals starting next season, so Zito must find a way to get the big prize now. The core roster is arguably the best in Panther history, and the team continues to climb the standings. Grabbing Hanifin would be the perfect start for an all-in push to their first Stanley Cup.
