Teams are "under the impression" that Flames are likely to trade Hanifin: report

It seems more and more likely that the Calgary Flames will be moving on from Noah Hanifin.

Trade rumours have surrounded Hanifin all season long, as the 27-year-old is set to become a UFA this summer. Flames General Manager Craig Conroy is believed to be waiting on a decision as to whether or not Hanifin is willing to sign an extension, but given how much time he’s had already, it feels less and less likely that he’s willing to remain a Flame moving forward.

If the Flames do indeed decide to move Hanifin, several teams will be interested. He can play in all situations, is capable of producing offence, and is averaging nearly 24 minutes in ice time this season. According to Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman, it is a situation that many around the league are monitoring.

“Teams are certainly under the impression that, look, ‘[Hanifin] is not signed, so we better be in on it,'” Friedman said on the latest 32 Thoughts podcast. “There’s been a lot of interest in [Chris] Tanev for a long time, and I think it’s growing on Hanifin. The guy’s played really well.”

With the Flames preferring to retool rather than enter a full rebuild, keeping Hanifin, a player who is in his prime, makes sense. That said, the fact that he hasn’t been willing to sign an extension despite the Flames’ clear interest in wanting to work something out suggests he is ready to move on.

Though trading a defenceman as established as Hanifin would be a tough pill to swallow, Flames fans can be confident that Conroy will bring back a sizeable return. The first-year GM was able to deal an underperforming Elias Lindholm to the Vancouver Canucks in exchange for Andrei Kuzmenko, prospects Hunter Brzustewicz and Joni Jurmo, a 2024 first-round pick, and a conditional 2024 fourth-round pick.

Assuming Hanifin is moved, it doesn’t seem farfetched to suggest the Flames would be able to net a first-round pick along with a solid prospect, if not more. That would help add to what is already some promising young talent in Calgary, and allow them to continue building toward a promising future.

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