Greg Wyshynski, ESPN’s senior NHL writer, reported on Wednesday night that the Vegas Golden Knights have acquired defenseman Noah Hanifin from the Calgary Flames in a bid to bolster their lineup as they pursue a second consecutive Stanley Cup championship.
The transaction involving Hanifin was part of a complex three-team trade that also involved the Philadelphia Flyers, with both Calgary and Philadelphia agreeing to retain portions of Hanifin’s salary to facilitate the deal.
In return for Hanifin, the Flames received a conditional 2025 first-round pick, a conditional 2025 third-round pick, and defenseman Daniil Miromanov while retaining 50% of Hanifin’s salary. The Flyers received a 2024 fifth-round pick from Vegas for their part in retaining 50% of Hanifin’s remaining salary.
This deal significantly reduced Hanifin’s $4.95 million cap hit to just $1,237,500 for the Golden Knights.
The conditions attached to the picks sent to Calgary are as follows:
If Vegas holds its own first-round pick in the 2025 draft by March 10, 2024, and if that pick is not among the top 10 in the 2025 NHL draft, then Vegas will transfer its 2025 first-round pick to Calgary. Otherwise, Calgary will receive Vegas’ 2026 first-round pick.
If Vegas advances to the second round of the 2024 NHL playoffs, they will send their second-round pick in the 2025 draft instead of a 2024 third-round pick.
Essentially, this trade allows the Golden Knights the flexibility to potentially trade their 2024 and 2025 first-round picks before the upcoming NHL trade deadline. Moreover, with the salary retention, they now have the cap space to potentially add another player to their roster.
Hanifin, who is 27 years old, was set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason after informing the Flames of his intention to test the market. There is speculation that the Golden Knights might look to sign him to a contract extension.
In his ninth NHL season, Hanifin has amassed 35 points in 61 games this season, averaging 23:46 minutes of ice time per game. He’s known for his defensive prowess, particularly in puck retrievals and zone exits, and has been a key player for the Flames in all situations, including on their penalty-killing unit.
While Hanifin contributes moderately on offense, his primary value lies in his ability to log significant minutes on the back end and effectively neutralize opposing top lines. Over his career, he has accumulated 274 points in 659 games.
Hanifin was ranked second on ESPN’s NHL trade deadline board, attracting interest from several teams including the Boston Bruins, New Jersey Devils, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Florida Panthers.
The Flames are expected to sign Miromanov, a defenseman who has shown promise in the AHL for Vegas, to a contract extension before he becomes a Group 6 unrestricted free agent this summer.
With this acquisition, the Golden Knights bolster their already impressive defensive corps, which includes players like Alex Pietrangelo, Shea Theodore, and Alec Martinez, all of whom were part of Vegas’ Stanley Cup-winning roster.
Hanifin is the second significant addition for the Golden Knights ahead of the trade deadline, following their acquisition of Capitals winger Anthony Mantha on Tuesday, with Washington retaining 50% of his cap hit.
To create more cap space before the deadline, the Golden Knights placed captain Mark Stone on long-term injured reserve. Stone has been sidelined with an upper-body injury since a February 20th loss to the Nashville Predators, providing the team with relief on his $9.5 million cap hit.
Stone previously underwent back surgery and missed the final three months of the regular season last year, returning for Game 1 of the Golden Knights’ first-round playoff series.
