The Vegas Golden Knights have announced that Noah Hanifin has signed an eight-year contract extension.
Hanifin has appeared in 16 games since his acquisition from the Calgary Flames, and he’s posted a line of 2-7-9 while averaging 23:02 a game being deployed as a top-pairing defenseman.
In the same span, Hanifin’s posted a slash line that includes a 56.15 GF%, a 55.55 CF%, and a 57.85 xGF%, all of which are better than the numbers he’d posted in 61 games with the Flames.
Being on a better team certainly helps, and it is a much smaller sample, but overall Hanifin’s been a great fit that has pushed the pace and provided a nice blend of overall play.
The price tag seems right based on his role and ability, and the Golden Knights have shown throughout their history that they don’t mind acquiring players, paying them, and making adjustments if things go sideways.
That said, the deal does come with an NTC, although the structure of the deal does make it easy for the team to move if needed.
He will be the second-highest paid defender on the team going forward, and his new salary will hit the books at a time in which Alec Martinez’s $5.25 million cap hit comes off the books. In any case, this is a good move for the Golden Knights, and they’ve locked someone up who should be a quality contributor for the upcoming seasons while Vegas looks to be an upper echelon contender for the Stanley Cup.