Flames' Hanifin Linked To Sign-and-Trade With Surprising Team

The Calgary Flames are still likely going to move their pending UFAs before the deadline, and there will be many suitors. One of those teams should be the Arizona Coyotes who finally shifted to a transitional year this season in that they added players who may help them win instead of taking on bad contracts and continuing to expect to be at the bottom of the standings.

They started strong and were in a playoff spot for a while, but have started to sink down the standings. This doesn't mean this wasn't a step in the right direction though. This team is close and even if they sell some pieces this season, they will continue to add what they can to try to win.

At the end of the season, every one of the Coyotes' defenders (all eight) are either a RFA or a UFA, meaning that there are decisions to be made on the back-end. While I assume the four RFAs will be sticking around and getting new contracts, the team has to add some key pieces in order to take another step forward. It is illogical for the Coyotes to acquire any rental this season, but if there is a sign-and-trade, that is a different story. That is what is suggested as Noah Hanifin could be a potential target from the Flames.

It will cost the Coyotes a bit more, but they are also loaded with picks and can afford to use some. The big question mark isn't whether the Calgary Flames trade Hanifin, because I think that's very likely where things are headed, it's if he would sign with the Coyotes. They are getting a new arena, are on the rise, and can afford to pay him big money. He would also have a major role on the Coyotes. It may help that he is an American as well. Free agents and players with some sort of trade protection may not want to play for the Coyotes, that's what Arizona may have to overcome when trying to bring in impactful players long-term.