Noah Hanifin
Position: Defenseman
Shoots: Left
Age: 21
2017-18 Stats: 10 goals, 22 assists (32 point) in 79 games
Career Stats: 18 goals, 65 assists (83 points) in 239 games
I was surprised to find defenseman Noah Hanifin on the Carolina Hurricanes roster because I can’t believe a GM doesn’t put him on the no-trade list. He is one heck of a package. (He was the Hurricanes’ fifth-overall draft pick in 2015.)
At just 21 years old, the 6-foot-3, 206-pound Hanifin just completed his third full year in the NHL. For a defenseman, and a young one at that, he got good stats — 10 goals, 22 assists on a semi-bad Carolina team.
Noah Hanifin would be right up the Colorado Avalanche’s alley. He’s an exccellent and fluid skater with speed. A good puck-mover, he can also both create plays and pot in a few goals. He can even quarterback the power play.
The one down side is his contract. It’s nice and cheap because it’s his entry-level deal. And it’s up this summer. Such a talented defenseman is going to get a sweet pay raise. However, his contract status might make him relatively cheap as a trade option.
Willing to give up: Second-round draft pick OR Vladislav Kamenev-level prospect
Line in the sand (no go): First-round draft pick, Conor Timmins-level prospect