Flames Rumors: New Team Linked to Noah Hanifin

It is only a matter of time before the Calgary Flames trade defenseman Noah Hanifin. He is on an expiring deal, and it has now been reported that he will not be signing a contract extension with the Flames. Because of this, they have no choice but to move him by the trade deadline.

The Flames have been receiving a ton of interest in Hanifin, as teams like the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, and New Jersey Devils have been connected to him. However, it appears that a new team has entered the mix, as the Colorado Avalanche are now linked to him, according to The Fourth Period.

This is a particularly intriguing development, as the Avalanche already have a strong left side with Devon Toews, Samuel Girard, and Bowen Byram. However, it appears that they are wanting to strengthen their defensive group before the deadline, and bringing in a star like Hanifin would do just that.

Hanifin would be a nice addition to their second pairing and would also work on both their power play and their penalty kill because of his solid all-around game.

In 56 games this season with the Flames, Hanifin has nine goals, 30 points, and a plus-11 rating.