Is Calgary Flames Defenseman Noah Hanifin a Perfect Fit For the New Jersey Devils?
In the latest edition of 32 Thoughts Podcast Jeff Marek and Elliotte Friedman discuss the idea of the New Jersey Devils bringing in Noah Hanifin to help with their defensive struggles and how he could be the ideal fit.
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NHLRumors.com Transcription***
Jeff Marek: “That’s why I come back when you and I have talked about this hear the radio show all over the place. If I’m Tom Fitzgerald right now, and what just happened happened against the Edmonton Oilers and to your point about you know the the Lindy ruff issue being out there and is it going to be enough or not?
I keep coming back to a team like the Calgary Flames or maybe it is not Calgary. Maybe it’s another team. Maybe it’s Arizona. I don’t know. And I just look at they have players someone expiring contracts that can help the New Jersey Devils right now. I don’t know that Calgary is at the point right now where they’re going to throw the towel in on the season and say okay, we’re getting rid of all these guys because we’re getting great offers.
But if I’m New Jersey I look at expiring contracts. (Tanev) Well, that’s the obvious one, right? Like, give me the defenseman and give me the goaltender. What’s it gonna cost?”
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Elliotte Friedman: “Yeah. Like I think, Tanev is someone else they’ve considered too but but to me Hanifin screams Devils. He does. I think he’s that’s where he’s from that part of the . not exactly New Jersey, but that part of the country. I think that’s kind of the area that he wants to play that part of the league. You know it just Hamilton’s a righty shot and Hanifin’s a lefty shot so it’s not apples to apples, but they could use a player like him.
I’ll tell you when when Noah Hanifin was drafted, one guy who I really trust who really nails a lot of players said he’s gonna play in the NHL for 15 years. But I’m not sure like how high level. Is he going to be an A plus guy? Is he going to be a B guy? I wasn’t sure.
Like I’ve been really impressed by Noah Hanifin in Calgary. Like even though you know, everybody kind of understands he’s gonna move on, he’s still played really well. Like to me Noah Hanifin is a professional. And that’s a very big compliment to me. In good times and in bad times he’s given Calgary everything they could have wanted.
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And I just think that if you’re New Jersey, you know that’s the kind of guy that you need at this point in time. Now again, it comes down to does New Jersey think it’s really important to make a big deal to salvage this season. Does any part of them sit there and say, you know what, this isn’t the year but it because they’ve got Hughes signed a long time. They’ve gotten Meier signed a long time. They’ve got Hamilton signed a long time. They’ve got Hischier signed a long time. Maybe they look at it and say, Hey, we’re gonna play out this year and not you know, shoot our shot. Maybe this isn’t the time.
But I’ll bet you that you could trade for that guy and have a long conversation with him about do you want to stay here? Do you want like, is this the kind of place you envision yourself being like, to me Hanifin, If the Devils want that jolt to improve their defensive play right now, he is the obvious guy to me, the obvious guy.”