LD Noah Hanifin - Boston College, NCAA (2015 Draft)

[Bridgeman]

I wont be suprised to see him in Quebec next year. Lets see how the national team handles him with 8 dmen. If he isnt getting big time minutes he wont be hanging around there.

 

[wings5]

He's one of their more talented defenseman he'll get top 4 minutes and play all situations for sure.

 

[William H Bonney]

I wont be suprised to see him in Quebec next year. Lets see how the national team handles him with 8 dmen. If he isnt getting big time minutes he wont be hanging around there.

If Hanifin turns out to be as good as everyone (including USAH) thinks he is, ice time with the NTDP won't be an issue. He's been said to be the best d-man the NTDP has ever had coming into the program and according to Andy Johnson (Badgers blogger), they almost had him on the U17 team as an underager last season. The NTDP has only taken an underage player a handful of times (last time was the 2005 season) and rumor is they are against the idea so if the rumor is true it says how much they apparently liked Hanifin last year, let alone this year. Anyway, ice time never been a big issue for the top NTDP players.

If I was a Quebec fan, I'd be hoping that Hanifin ends up with the U18 team this year and then wins gold at the IIHF U-18 Championship. I would think he would be more likely to leave the NTDP if he felt as if he had nothing left to accomplish.

Hanifin played his first game with the NTDP last night. He had a goal and an assist in their 12-1 victory of the Janesville Jets (NAHL).

 

[William H Bonney]

Hanifin had 2 assists and the GWG in the shootout for the U17s tonight.

Here's the video of Team USA's shootout goals:

 

[Wolfpack21]

How is he doing so far this year? What kind of defenseman is he? How is he playing at this age compared to Seth Jones? Never heard of this kid until I read the list of the 2015 early draft rankings.

 

[sigx15]

How is he doing so far this year? What kind of defenseman is he? How is he playing at this age compared to Seth Jones? Never heard of this kid until I read the list of the 2015 early draft rankings.

Hes been every bit as dominating as people expected. Great puck mover, top 5 in scoring last I checked with the NTDP U17 team as a defenseman. Great edge work and vision, also really good in his own zone. Really the complete package.

BCHockeyblog is reporting now he is accelerating a year in school and will enter BC next year. First report of this ive heard. This would be the first time a player has gone this path without having a gap year between their final ntdp year and their draft year. This would mean hed only play one year of ntdp before entering BC. Will be very interesting to see if this report is true, would like to get confirmation from some one inside USA hockey to verify.

 

[TossinSauce]

I have family on the St. Sebs team and he says Noah has a terrific attitude as well, not cocky at all about his future. Always a plus when this is the case.

 

[Gritty]

I know a lot of people hate doing these, but what would a good NHL comparable be? Just to get a sense of what kind of defenceman he is. (mix if needed) I'd love to hear from people who have actually seen him play

 

[dwanmaster*]

Doughty

 

[scoutman1]

Doughty

with a lot more size

 

[TossinSauce]

Didn't see an update on him in this thread so I'll give a general one on Noah. Looks like BC is taking him a year early because they think he'll only spend a year before declaring for the 2015 draft. My uncle lives up in Mass and has watched Hanifin a lot and says he is the most dominant defense man he has seen at that level.

 

[William H Bonney]

Hanifin already denied the rumor that he's accelerating to play at BC next year.

 

[Garyboy]

He just scored a nice goal against Russia after he jumped into the play and put home a rebound.

 

[William H Bonney]

He just scored a nice goal against Russia after he jumped into the play and put home a rebound.

He's just on another level compared to everyone else in the game.

 

[Sticks and Pucks]

Hanifin already denied the rumor that he's accelerating to play at BC next year.

That may be a good decision. Although guys like Toews have done well accelerating a year to go to college, it's not for everyone (see Dan Bertram).

 

[orangeandblack]

He's just on another level compared to everyone else in the game.

He has an extra gear that no one in that 97 age group has, at least in the USHL. He could contribute at WJC this year, no doubt. I dont see how he doesnt end up in the Q next season. He will never set foot on a college campus, because he should be in the NHL at 18. Would seem like a waste of time for a prospect of this level to play another year in the USHL, and even entertain the thought of college for a year.

 

[Garyboy]

He's just on another level compared to everyone else in the game.

He certainly stood out. Big, powerful stride, had a gorgeous end-to-end rush, controlled the play when he's out there. Hopefully he's made available for the U-18's.

 

[Juxtaposer]

Hanifin was absolutely dominant. Didn't make a single mistake, made gorgeous stretch-passes, skates brilliantly, was always in the right position, never left his teammates out to dry, and made several gorgeous rushes. Man, he's special.

 

[William H Bonney]

He has an extra gear that no one in that 97 age group has, at least in the USHL. He could contribute at WJC this year, no doubt. I dont see how he doesnt end up in the Q next season. He will never set foot on a college campus, because he should be in the NHL at 18. Would seem like a waste of time for a prospect of this level to play another year in the USHL, and even entertain the thought of college for a year.

I would think a lot would depend on what happens this year at the U-18 IIHF Championships. He'll be on that team and if they win gold I think it would be easier for him to leave because it's hard for these kids to leave the NTDP (it seems to usually be an ice time/discipline issue that causes the departures) and I can't imagine it would any different for Hanifin.

I hope this tournament is the last time he's with the U-17s though because he should immediately join the U-18s after this is over.

I would be surprised if he made it to BC just because I think he'd have to stagnate to not jump right into the NHL. I'm not sure if the Q would offer him a big enough step up over the blended U-18 schedule to entice him to bolt but if anyone has a chance to convince him of it I imagine it's Quebec.

 

[TossinSauce]

Hanifin already denied the rumor that he's accelerating to play at BC next year.

When did he say this? I'm just curious because I had family on his old Sebs team and they said yesterday he was almost certainly doing BC. I agree with you it would be a waste of a year, do you have a source or was it in a video interview.

 

[ecemleafs]

how come he really wasnt looked at for this years WJC. if hes held in such high regard like eichel ud think hed have been more talked about making this years team.

 

[William H Bonney]

When did he say this? I'm just curious because I had family on his old Sebs team and they said yesterday he was almost certainly doing BC. I agree with you it would be a waste of a year, do you have a source or was it in a video interview.

Andrew Weiss of Future Considerations is the one I saw report it. But even more telling is that no one else ever picked up the report that Hanifin wanted to enter BC next year. It would have been vetted and others would have reported it by now if that was indeed the plan.

how come he really wasnt looked at for this years WJC. if hes held in such high regard like eichel ud think hed have been more talked about making this years team.

Eichel has a lot more experience even though they're not that far apart in age. I don't think USAH has ever seriously considered an U17 player for the team although Hanifin is certainly capable of contributing at the WJC right now. USAH hates bringing underagers to the summer camp but it would be a shame if they don't bring him to Lake Placid this summer.

 

[Woodhouse]

When did he say this? I'm just curious because I had family on his old Sebs team and they said yesterday he was almost certainly doing BC. I agree with you it would be a waste of a year, do you have a source or was it in a video interview.

Here's the tweet:

Andrew Weiss ‏@WeissFC 26 Dec
Contrary to reports, Noah Hanifin will not be enrolling at BC in the fall. He still has plans to enroll in the Fall of 2015

 

[sigx15]

Andrew Weiss of Future Considerations is the one I saw report it. But even more telling is that no one else ever picked up the report that Hanifin wanted to enter BC next year. It would have been vetted and others would have reported it by now if that was indeed the plan.

Here's the tweet:

Andrew Weiss ‏@WeissFC 26 Dec
Contrary to reports, Noah Hanifin will not be enrolling at BC in the fall. He still has plans to enroll in the Fall of 2015

Thanks guys for doing the legwork on this. I was pretty confused by reports he was accelerating. Players usually only do this when they have a gap year between their final ntdp and their draft year, so it wouldve been very unusual for him to do it. That said, kreider did it very late in the game so its still possible for him to do it. Here's where the rumor started:

http://thebostoncollegehockeyblog.blogspot.com/2013/12/recruiting-update.html

He's been misinformed before but is around the team more than any other outlet. Don't know who his sources are but they are usually from the staff. In this case though, I have a firmer belief in what Weiss is reporting because it would be a very unusual case if Hanifin was accelerating and Weiss's tweet was after the BChockeyblog report.

 

[SergeConstantin74]

I would think a lot would depend on what happens this year at the U-18 IIHF Championships. He'll be on that team and if they win gold I think it would be easier for him to leave because it's hard for these kids to leave the NTDP (it seems to usually be an ice time/discipline issue that causes the departures) and I can't imagine it would any different for Hanifin.

I hope this tournament is the last time he's with the U-17s though because he should immediately join the U-18s after this is over.

I would be surprised if he made it to BC just because I think he'd have to stagnate to not jump right into the NHL. I'm not sure if the Q would offer him a big enough step up over the blended U-18 schedule to entice him to bolt but if anyone has a chance to convince him of it I imagine it's Quebec.

If they get awarded the Memorial Cup, do you think it could be an argument in their favor?

They did meet with him at his home last summer.