It appears Calgary Flames defenseman Noah Hanifin plans to take advantage of his unrestricted free agent status next summer.
Sportsnet hockey expert Elliotte Friedman explained this on his “32 Thoughts” podcast on Monday.
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The Flames reportedly asked their player before the All-Star break to clarify his intentions regarding his future. They wanted to know whether he wanted to stay with the team long-term. If that weren't the case, the Alberta club would intend to trade the 27-year-old rearguard by March 8, the deadline for National League transactions in 2023-2024.
Hanifin is currently finalizing a six-year contract that will allow him to receive $4.95 million annually. He has a partial no-trade clause and has made a list of eight teams he doesn't want to play with.
Friedman also points out that the hockey player would prefer to play for a team based in the United States. The man who wore the Carolina Hurricanes colors for the first three years of his career is from Boston.
Hanifin has 653 games of experience on the Bettman circuit, scoring 58 goals and 211 assists for 269 points.