Why It Makes Zero Sense For The Golden Knights To Pursue Noah Hanifin
We all know it’s only a matter of time before Noah Hanifin gets moved. It appears that Hanifin prefers a move to the Lightning or the Panthers if Tampa Bay doesn’t workout. The Massachusetts native could also okay a deal to the Bruins or Devils as well. However, Frank Seravalli isn’t ruling out the Golden Knights.
I love Frank, but I hate this take and I totally disagree. He’s right in one sense. Vegas eventually needs a replacement for Alec Martinez. It just makes absolutely no sense for that moment to be right now.
Hanifin, 27, is definitely an upgrade over Martinez at this stage of his career. Martinez, 36, is on his last legs and there was thought he might retire after the Stanley Cup victory. On the surface, you can see the logic. It just doesn’t tell the full story.
Alec Martinez is a three-time Stanley Cup champion and it’s not really an accident. That’s not a guy the VGK should be looking to push out the door. Hanifin might be a better player right now, but that doesn’t make him a better fit. Martinez fills a role that isn’t exactly sexy but it’s necessary. The guy eats pucks like nobodies business.
Martinez led the NHL in blocked shots last year with 244. This year he’s 7th in that same category but has played 18 fewer games than Nick Seeler who ranks first this year. He’s first in blocks per game by a mile. Adin Hill doesn’t go on the playoff run he does without Martinez eating pucks. You can’t just discredit that.
That’s not what Hanifin does. Hanifin skates well and moves the puck up the ice. Hanifin is more of an offensive leaning blue liner. Hanifin has 89 blocks this season while leading all Flames defensemen in ice time. He also wouldn’t get any powerplay time in Vegas with Shea Theodore and Alex Pietrangelo taking that void.
It just doesn’t make any sense. The acquisition cost for Hanifin will be high and he doesn’t have the skill set to replace what Martinez does. Also, moving out Martinez after he was such a huge part of the Cup team would be risky. Are you sure that’s the move you want to pull off? How doe the locker room feel about that?
I love Frank, but this take stinks. The VGK should squeeze every drop that Martinez has left to give. Then hopefully try to convince him to take a cheap minimum contract as he ages out of the league. Vegas needs to beef up the winger group. That should be the real area of focus for the team. A package deal bringing in Jake Guentzel and Reilly Smith feels like the best path forward in an attempt to repeat as cup champs.
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