Flames star defenseman unwilling to sign extension

The 2023 offseason has been a monumental one for the Calgary Flames, and we’re still weeks away from the draft and free agency. New general manager Craig Conroy has a tough contract situation to deal with on his hands, with six important players currently headed for unrestricted free agency in 2024. A decision on what to do with one of those players has been made for him, though, as Pierre LeBrun of TSN and The Athletic reports defenseman Noah Hanifin is unwilling to sign an extension with the team and is likely destined for a trade.

Now 26, the top-flight defender has just shy of 600 NHL games under his belt and is entering the final season of a six-year, $4.95M average annual value contract signed with Calgary in 2018. He’s had some very solid seasons in Alberta, including three 30-point campaigns and a firmly cemented top-four role throughout his time there. Historically a positive two-way force, Hanifin had some significant defensive struggles for the first time in 2022-23, seeing his advanced metrics dip slightly below the league average.

At his age and with his experience, though, that’s likely an outlier. Whichever team Hanifin ends up with can expect to pay him north of $6M on a long-term deal and get its money’s worth. He’s one of the more consistent players from year to year in the league, really never having huge offensive or defensive lapses and maintaining solid (but not elite) numbers in heavy usage. His 0.48 points per game are tied for 47th among defensemen with at least 100 games played over the last three seasons, and his 21:32 average time on ice is 57th using the same parameters.

Competent on both the power play and penalty kill, the left-shot defender is not a true No. 1 defenseman but still a high-end, first-pairing caliber player. He may not fetch as much in a trade with the Flames as he would if he were a right-shot defenseman, but the Flames should still expect (and receive) at least a first-round pick for his services on the trade market – even if he makes it to the trade deadline and is sold as a rental.

With a steep trade market this offseason, though, moving him now is likely to get Calgary some good value with more time for a trade partner to negotiate an extension. Given the Flames have pointed playoff aspirations next season, it would behoove them to free up Hanifin’s cap hit so he could be replaced via free agency or a separate trade later in the summer.

In 81 games this season, Hanifin registered seven goals and 38 points in 81 contests, recording a career-high average ice time of 22:39 in the process.