The Tampa Bay Lightning could be viewing Noah Hanifin as their replacement for Mikhail Sergachev, per TSN’s Chris Johnston on Insider Trading. Sergachev has had terrible injury luck this season, recently fracturing both bones in his lower left leg just 10 minutes into his return from a separate lower-body injury that held him out for two months. The 25-year-old defenseman has played just 34 games this season, scoring 19 points. He’s now out indefinitely and is currently on the team’s long-term injured reserve.
Hanifin would be a darling replacement for Sergachev and a major addition to a Tampa Bay blue line that’s been battered and bruised all season long. Hanifin has scored 30 points in 56 games this season, operating as Calgary’s clear-cut top defenseman and averaging over 23 minutes of ice time. His role in Tampa would likely be a bit easier and focus more on taking responsibility off of Victor Hedman’s shoulders. Hedman currently averages nearly 25 minutes of ice time each game, almost six minutes more than any other healthy Lightning defenseman.
Hanifin is on an expiring contract with a $4.95MM cap hit. He’s currently expected to test the open market, though any team that acquires him will get a head start in negotiating a new contract. Tampa Bay is expected to have $7.55MM in cap space available at the Trade Deadline but just $11.5MM available this off-season, with Steven Stamkos headlining their list of pending free agents. That likely limits their ability to give Hanifin the contract he’ll be asking for. All of these factors will undoubtedly come up in trade negotiations, as Tampa Bay looks to acquire one of the top names on the open market.
Other notes from around the league:
- Edmonton Oilers forward Ryan Nugent-Hopkins is out with illness and is questionable to play in the team’s Wednesday night matchup against the Boston Bruins, per Sportsnet columnist Mark Spector. Nugent-Hopkins has had another productive season with the Oilers, scoring 49 points in 52 games this season. That puts him on pace for 77 points through 82 games, which would be both the second-most Nugent-Hopkins has ever scored and a notable step down from the 104 points he scored in 82 games last season. His absence would likely lead to Connor Brown stepping back into the lineup, as Edmonton doesn’t have any extra forwards currently on the NHL roster.
- Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Seth Jones is okay after taking a puck to the groin at the team’s Wednesday practice, while defenseman Louis Crevier is out with soreness after taking a puck to the face in the team’s last game, per team reporter Scott Powers. Crevier will be replaced by Isaak Phillips, who has six assists, 22 penalty minutes, and -22 through 29 games this season.
The bigger issue for Tampa Bay in trying to acquire Hanigin is their lack of assets to send back in return. The Flames will want a first round pick & that is something Tampa Bay doesn’t have this year or next. The Flames will be able to get a first rounder from one of Hanifin’s other suitors. Tampa also doesn’t have a lot to give Calgary prospect/player wise. It will be hard for the Lightning to come up with a package that is better than some of the other Hanifan suitors.
Hanafin for Sergachev….problem solved
Probably can’t trade the injured….Oh well.
What has happened to the Black Hawks? 33 points so far? Being in Detroit the bottom dweller for a few years, I understand the frustration fans must feel, we had to dump Blashil and the GM to get out of the ditch. Still, its tough going. Good luck to you guys, hope it turns around soon for the sake of the game.
“Yeah, they need to get 2 more top 3 picks before they start winning again and I will see to it” Bettman
Hanifin is NOT Calgary’s clear-cut number one defenseman, it’s Weegar then Andersson , then him…who is writing this stuff?