Report: Hanifin eyes teams he's interested in long term
Noah Hanifin, the top defender available at the trade deadline, isn't looking to move twice in 2024.
The Calgary Flames and Hanifin are focused on dealing the 27-year-old to a team he'd be willing to sign a long-term extension with ahead of the March 8 trade deadline, Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman reported on Saturday's edition of "Hockey Night in Canada."
The Boston Bruins, Tampa Bay Lightning, and Florida Panthers have reportedly shown interest in acquiring Hanifin.
The Lightning are believed to be Hanifin's No. 1 choice, Friedman added.
Hanifin has tallied 11 goals and 34 points in 59 games this season while playing a career-high 23:44 per contest. He carries a $4.95-million cap hit and is set to become an unrestricted free agent this summer.
Tampa Bay is without rearguard Mikhail Sergachev after he sustained a broken tibia and fibula in February. The Lightning have $7.4 million in space with Sergachev's $8.5-million cap hit on long-term injured reserve.
Looking past this season, Tampa Bay will have just over $10.5 million of cap room this summer, per CapFriendly. Captain Steven Stamkos is the team's top pending free agent.
The Bruins have a minuscule $57,500 of cap space available. Boston is without defenseman Hampus Lindholm, but the defender is expected back before the playoffs, meaning his $6.5-million cap hit won't make room for a potential Hanifin acquisition.
But the Bruins will have a significant amount of room following this campaign, with $26 million in projected cap space this summer, according to CapFriendly. Boston's notable pending free agents include Jake DeBrusk, Matt Grzelcyk, and restricted free agent Jeremy Swayman.
The Panthers are the most intriguing team among those linked to Hanifin, as Florida can afford the blue-liner this season and has maneuverability in the offseason. The team has over $5 million in space at the deadline but is also expected to have a whopping $28 million in cap room this summer, per CapFriendly.
However, Florida has several pending free agents, including Sam Reinhart, Brandon Montour, and Gustav Forsling.