Proposal: Noah Hanifin in the off-season

[Scoresberg]

Noah Hanifin has indicated his willingness to test the UFA market in the summer.

Now, hear me out. We have an aging D core with some promising youngsters coming up in the next couple of years (Molendyk, Statsney/MDG, Ufko, Livingstone).

But I am of the opinion that we should go after Hanifin as a UFA. He is 27 so in his prime, and 7 years to carry him to 34 is not bad at all. To me, he would be the Canadian Ekholm, a presence we at the moment lack in our backend.

Our cap situation would allow it as well, as we have the money to spend around. McDonagh, Schenn and Lauzon all have 2 years left after this season and for example, Molendyk's ELC expires at the earliest in three years.

My offer for Hanifin would be 7 years @ 7.75 mil.

Head into next year with:

Josi - Fabbro
Hanifin - McDonagh
Statsney/MDG/Molendyk - Lauzon
Schenn

What are your thoughts?

Click to read more...

 

[Armourboy]

I mean if you don't think in basically two years time there will be any decent Dmen on the market I might see it, but right now you would basically just be taking up space for younger guys that are ready to make the move up already.

I don't think its a horrible idea, I just think its more or less bad timing.

 

[herzausstein]

Hanifin would ensure a smooth transition as josi ages out but thats alot of cap in lhd and forcing one if not two to go offhand unless you can trade one or two of mcd/lauzon. I dont think management wants to trade mcd or lauzon to be honest. I also dont think they want to bump schenn from the lineup. Sooooo.....

McD - Josi
Hanifin - Lauzon
Del Gaizo/Stastney - Schenn
Fabbro - Carrier-Barrie traded

Molendyk marinates in the minors another season

Guess it could work but i think that we have other needs that need addressed first

 

[AintLifeGrand]

trade Fabbro sign Hanifin

 

[AtlantaWhaler]

He'll be super expensive, and while that normally wouldn't bother me, I'm not sure the Preds are in the right stage of "rebuild" to get in a bidding war.

 

[Predsanddead24]

Before we commit to big dollars on another player I'd really like to see what our older prospects (Stastney, Del Gaizo, Livingstone) can do when given a chance to play full time in the NHL. Not that I think any of them will be Hanifin level but they may be good enough for now and then we save the money for when we're a contending team and need that last piece to get over the top.

 

[PredsV82]

If all these D prospects we have can hack it at the NHL level we might actually have money to throw some big dollars at a forward/center UFA while those guys are still on cheap deals.

So, no. No Hanafin

 

[herzausstein]

If all these D prospects we have can hack it at the NHL level we might actually have money to throw some big dollars at a forward/center UFA while those guys are still on cheap deals.

So, no. No Hanafin

Unless we gonna offersheet, Pettersson from Vancouver there isnt anyone worthwhile in free agency this offseason center wise. There are stamkos, Guentzel, and that duchene character at wing. Wouldnt mind looking at trading some of our bulk wing assets for a center asset as well.

Cap is something we will have to keep in mind. As of right now, we have an estimated 25 mil in space with on 13 contracts given an 87.5 mil cap. So tying up an additional 7 mil in cal in the defense will really prevent us from doing much on offense outside of just plugging the roster holes.

 

[Scoresberg]

Unless we gonna offersheet, Pettersson from Vancouver there isnt anyone worthwhile in free agency this offseason center wise. There are stamkos, Guentzel, and that duchene character at wing. Wouldnt mind looking at trading some of our bulk wing assets for a center asset as well.

Cap is something we will have to keep in mind. As of right now, we have an estimated 25 mil in space with on 13 contracts given an 87.5 mil cap. So tying up an additional 7 mil in cal in the defense will really prevent us from doing much on offense outside of just plugging the roster holes.

See, I think the case with our offense that we need to start looking at internal options.

We can plug and plug in veteran band-aids but the real solution is or isn't our prospects.

Tomasino, Evangelista and next year or the year after that Kemell and L'Heureux. Those guys need top-six minutes in order for us to see whether they have "it" or not.

The sole reason I am proposing this that while Statsney and MDG and those guys are nice pieces to have they are all sub 6-foot and frankly at 24-25 years old fringe NHL'ers. I don't see them as long-term solutions for the defense.

Hanifin would be a guy you could acquire for seven years and just forget him there. Low-maintenance player for an aging D core capable of top pairing minutes while Josi starts fading away and bridging the gap for Molendyk to (hopefully) take over.

 

[Armourboy]

Stastney I think is going to be damn good if our GM will undo the log jam and let him play. He's got the game for the style of hockey Brunette wants to play and has been pretty impressive when he has gotten to play in the NHL.

That group of Dmen should have already been up this season imo. Schenn should have never been signed and we probably should have traded Barrie for a sack of rocks before the season started. Frankly we are a year behind on that group.

 

[Porter Stoutheart]

7x$7.75M sounds too steep for what Hanifin brings? At least for where our team is right now.

Same goes for Pesce if he hits the market.

They’re good players but we can wait a couple years to get a better sense of what we already have on hand.

 

[Bringer of Jollity]

I think only if there's an effort to be moving Josi or McDonagh out, either at the deadline or this off-season. Agree with Porter that I don't think Hanifin is worth the proposed contract amount, though he allegedly turned down 8 x $7.5M from Calgary. With other teams only being able to offer him 7 years, that might have him looking at $8M+ to compensate. Seems a luxury add for where we're at in our team building.

 

[Scoresberg]

I don't think some of you are grasping the idea of how terrible our defense will look in a couple years.

McD will be gone. Schenn will be gone (not a huge loss, but still), one of Carrier or Fabbro will be gone, Lauzon might be gone as well. Josi will be in steep decline by then also.

Of course, we'll have Molendyk in the mix by then and Statsney/MDG as well. Ufko might be found money and Livingstone might be a capable top-six D. But aside from Livingstone, those are all smaller defenseman. Hanifin can provide a steady presence and some size back there which will be badly needed eventually.

 

[wmupreds]

I would be fine with adding Hanifin, question is if he'd be fine coming to a team in limbo without being overpaid even by UFA standards

 

[Armourboy]

I don't think some of you are grasping the idea of how terrible our defense will look in a couple years.

McD will be gone. Schenn will be gone (not a huge loss, but still), one of Carrier or Fabbro will be gone, Lauzon might be gone as well. Josi will be in steep decline by then also.

Of course, we'll have Molendyk in the mix by then and Statsney/MDG as well. Ufko might be found money and Livingstone might be a capable top-six D. But aside from Livingstone, those are all smaller defenseman. Hanifin can provide a steady presence and some size back there which will be badly needed eventually.

Yeah but you are looking at 2/3 years out for some of those guys. I mean there won't be any other solid Dmen coming on the market you can overpay as well during that time? I mean if that answer is no then maybe you have a point, but I don't feel like Hanifin is on a level that is impossible to find.

 

[PredsV82]

I still think Bruno is a dumbass

 

[Armourboy]

I still think Bruno is a dumbass

I'm starting to think he is stuck in a mindset of how things used to be when he played and thinks the next generation should work the same way.

 

[Kat Predator]

I would be fine with adding Hanifin, question is if he'd be fine coming to a team in limbo without being overpaid even by UFA standards

How much does he enjoy bag skating?

 

[herzausstein]

Hanifin only has 44 hits on the season... not sure he really fits in with the team dynamic