Player Discussion Noah Hanifin

[JurassicTunga]

With the Lindholm discussion thread, thought we should make a discussion about Hanifin as well.

Here's some reports
https://thehockeywriters.com/noah-hanifin-the-next-ones-nhl-2015-draft-prospect-profile/

The Draft Analyst | Draft Profile: LHD Noah Hanifin

Hockey's Future - Noah Hanifin

The Hockey News

“Large two way defender who displays good vision and on ice smarts. Is a mobile fluid defenseman who has an excellent offensive upside to match his edgy defensive side. Four-direction skater who has great vision, poise, and makes the best plays on most shifts.”

Kids got some high, high potential. Still only 21. A bit younger than Andersson even, if I'm not mistaken. Look forward to seeing him suit up for the Flames.

Click to read more...

 

[Lunatik]

Hanifin is very similar to the player we acquired in Hamilton 3 years ago. The bigger differences being:

• Hanifin is a year younger than Dougie was when we traded for him
• Hanifin is 3" shorter and a left handed shot.
• Hanifin is more of a puck mover and distributor , whereas Dougie generated more by pinching and having a seeing eye wrister.
• Hanifin is better defensively than DOugie was when he was acquired and honestly is probably as good or better than the current Dougie in that regard.
• Hanifin produced less than Dougie did the season prior to acquisitions, but more than Hamilton did at the same age.
• Hanifin wasn't sheltered by playing with a top end player in Carolina, whereas Hamilton was to some degree by playing with Z.

 

[Ace Rimmer]

A couple of things - I was going to make this thread, but Noah Hanifin has a boring name, and I needed a nap.

Also, best hair on the team. Change my mind.

 

[JurassicTunga]

I don't know dude. Monahan's hair is quite exquisite.

 

[CraigsList]

I'm confident that he can surpass Gio in a couple of years as our top LHD.

 

[OvermanKingGainer]

I'm confident that he can surpass Gio in a couple of years as our top LHD.

That will be Kylington, who's gonna be a superstar - but Hanifin's a great piece to have.

 

[MonyontheMoney]

Hanifin is very similar to the player we acquired in Hamilton 3 years ago. The bigger differences being:

• Hanifin is a year younger than Dougie was when we traded for him
• Hanifin is 3" shorter and a left handed shot.
• Hanifin is more of a puck mover and distributor , whereas Dougie generated more by pinching and having a seeing eye wrister.
• Hanifin is better defensively than DOugie was when he was acquired and honestly is probably as good or better than the current Dougie in that regard.
• Hanifin produced less than Dougie did the season prior to acquisitions, but more than Hamilton did at the same age.
• Hanifin wasn't sheltered by playing with a top end player in Carolina, whereas Hamilton was to some degree by playing with Z.

I think all of these are valid points except the bolded.

I think being sheltered has more to do with competition than it does with who a guy is playing with. I mean, we know Chara had to take all the tough matchups in Boston, and be extension Hamilton would have taken on those as well. In Carolina, we all know Slavin and Pesce took the majority of tough matchups, leaving Hanifin to be the major contributor on another pair against lesser competition. Might be semantics, but I don’t think a guy playing top pair with Chara should be considered more sheltered than a guy playing down the depth chart a bit with TVR.

And I’ll, go on record here saying Hanifin will be a better player for us than Hamilton, I just don’t think the bolded is a valid argument as to why.

 

[Lunatik]

I think all of these are valid points except the bolded.

I think being sheltered has more to do with competition than it does with who a guy is playing with. I mean, we know Chara had to take all the tough matchups in Boston, and be extension Hamilton would have taken on those as well. In Carolina, we all know Slavin and Pesce took the majority of tough matchups, leaving Hanifin to be the major contributor on another pair against lesser competition. Might be semantics, but I don’t think a guy playing top pair with Chara should be considered more sheltered than a guy playing down the depth chart a bit with TVR.

And I’ll, go on record here saying Hanifin will be a better player for us than Hamilton, I just don’t think the bolded is a valid argument as to why.

It's a mixed bag, which is why I left it for last. While Dougie may have seen better competition with Big Z, he was also covered by Big Z. Hanifin had no such luxury, he was also thrust into the top 4 quickly but he never had a steady vet like Big Z to cover for him. It's like the difference between Brodie being covered by Giordano or covered by Wideman.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

Going into next season, before this deal Hanifin would have been one of my major candidates for a big breakout. I’m so excited we have him.

 

[BigRangy]

Yeah Hanifin should be good for a long time. I don't think he'll become the force that Hamilton was but he'll be a solid top pair guy for 10+ years for the Flames.

 

[SmellOfVictory]

• Hanifin wasn't sheltered by playing with a top end player in Carolina, whereas Hamilton was to some degree by playing with Z.

I don't agree with this argument. Who's more sheltered: The person playing with a top tier defenceman on a top pairing (and thus playing against the best opponents available) or the person playing on a 2nd pairing with a lesser partner against lesser opponents?

 

[Anglesmith]

I was always held back from being really in love with Douglas due to what I perceived as his lack of quick hands. I felt like he was a guy who needed to be fed in the right spot at the right time in the offensive zone to be effective, because he didn't have it in his game to be shifty or evasive.

Anyone know about whether Hanifin is better in this regard? His highlight packs that I've seen feature very similar goals to what Dougie scores (trailing the play or jumping into the slot, then catch and shoot).

 

[MonyontheMoney]

I mean, I don’t know about his hands, but I’d say he’s probably a more agile, and therefore evasive skater than Hamilton.

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

I mean, I don’t know about his hands, but I’d say he’s probably a more agile, and therefore evasive skater than Hamilton.

The scouting report on Hanifin is that he moves in all 4 directions with ease. He’s also a tremendous passer with elite offensive talent. Honestly the only real thing Dougie has on him is some size (which he doesn’t use) and his shot.

 

[Lunatik]

I don't agree with this argument. Who's more sheltered: The person playing with a top tier defenceman on a top pairing (and thus playing against the best opponents available) or the person playing on a 2nd pairing with a lesser partner against lesser opponents?

I already addressed this. Both were playing top 4, one with Big Z, the other with no one close to that.

 

[InfinityIggy]

I think my biggest concern with Hanifin is he reminds me a ton of Bouwmeester. Tell my why I am wrong.

 

[Potty John]

Hanifin is easily our future number 1 d-man. Gio’s Replacement in a couple years. I really like the pickup and he’s super young which is great for the future.

 

[JPeeper]

That will be Kylington, who's gonna be a superstar - but Hanifin's a great piece to have.

Disagree, but hope I am wrong. I see Ollie being a 3rd pairing offensive stud, PP QB guy. He doesn't have the defensive game to be a top 4 guy unless he massively cleans up his turnovers and at times questionable decision making. Dude is like 20/21 though so I still have faith in him, but he is really going to have to push this camp because Valimaki has a good shot at passing him on the depth chart and if that happens he is screwed cause then it goes Gio-Hanifin-Kulak-Valimaki.

Though if I am remembering from last year's camp on my impression of guys I thought Kylington should have made the team based on how Kulak, Wotherspoon and Bartkowski looked. I just don't see Ollie being better than Hanifin, ever. Hanifin has the very real possibility of being the next Hedman and Jones, came into the league early and took 3-5 years to get going and become the studs they are today.

 

[Mobiandi]

63% o-zone starts for a Dman is pretty insane. As well, little to no PK time. Seems like he still has some way to go before he rounds out his game.

Tbf, I never thought Hamilton was very well-rounded either

 

[Johnny Hoxville]

I think my biggest concern with Hanifin is he reminds me a ton of Bouwmeester. Tell my why I am wrong.

I think they’re pretty different. Jbo was an elite skating shutdown dman. He had some good years in Florida scoring wise, but he just never developed that part of his game. Hanifin is without a doubt an offensive dman, that’s his bread and butter. Where I like him more than Dougie, he thinks the game all around better. I think he will be a much better 2-way as he matures and adds more strength.

 

[Lunatik]

I think my biggest concern with Hanifin is he reminds me a ton of Bouwmeester. Tell my why I am wrong.

Bouwmeester was a defensive defenseman, Hanifin is average defensively.

 

[Ace Rimmer]

I think my biggest concern with Hanifin is he reminds me a ton of Bouwmeester. Tell my why I am wrong.

An apt comparison, but Hanifin is the better goal scorer, better on-ice vision, and possibly a better skater.

I think "worst case" is Bouwmeester. That's not a bad thing.

 

[InfinityIggy]

Bouwmeester was a defensive defenseman, Hanifin is average defensively.

Was he though? Before coming to Calgary he had multiple 40 point seasons. He never found that offensive touch while here, but I never thought of him as a defensive D, by choice anyway.

 

[Anglesmith]

Was he though? Before coming to Calgary he had multiple 40 point seasons. He never found that offensive touch while here, but I never thought of him as a defensive D, by choice anyway.

I thought this too, but I did some research recently. It seems that the offence he broke into the league with was a bit of a surprise, and came down to the fact that he entered right after the lockout season when offence spiked across the board, and played for a coach that really encouraged offence from defence. He was given the reins to rove a great deal, and hence the unexpected offensive numbers.

 

[Lunatik]

Was he though? Before coming to Calgary he had multiple 40 point seasons. He never found that offensive touch while here, but I never thought of him as a defensive D, by choice anyway.

Yes. Even when he produced he was good defensively. If Bouwmeester was a physical player, he'd have been considered elite, but there is a stigma that defensive defensemen need to be bangers